Chapter 108
Chapter 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Greed Poison - 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
We returned to the inn.
Neril glanced at the noisy crowd outside and said.
“The territory folk have surrounded the place. They've built a human wall.”
“Intimidating.”
“But that's not on your face?”
“They couldn't hurt us physically anyway.”
“But they could do real damage to your reputation.”
Her voice brimmed with concern.
I shrugged and said.
“It's fine. I've got an idea.”
“Huh?”
“About where Hiren's hiding. It's a little out there—no real confidence—but hear me out.”
I started to continue.
But that's when Adwin spoke up.
“Huh? Hello?”
We all exchanged glances and tilted our heads.
Risel replied for the group.
“Yeah, hi. Good lunch?”
“But what's up? We didn't call for you.”
“I've been here the whole time?”
“You got something to say?”
“Nah, not really.”
Neril pinched her forehead.
“Idiot. Adwin's talking to a spirit.”
“……! Oh, I knew that. Just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Yeah. It worked, thanks to you. Appreciate it.”
“Gratitude that still sours the mood.”
I asked Adwin.
“Whose spirit?”
“Lady Lepia.”
“Huh? Why her?”
“I didn't summon her. She showed up on her own.”
Once more, my sense of normalcy shattered, and I shouted.
“No way that's possible. Grade, now Lepia too!”
“Right? Maybe the Redby River's gotten shallower?”
“Don't say creepy stuff. From a necromancer, it doesn't land as a joke.”
“Anyway, mind if I borrow your body for a sec? One moment.”
The spell on Adwin's arm glowed brightly.
His voice shifted soon after.
It was Lepia—my predecessor hero, who'd aided us multiple times.
“Hello, everyone.”
“Hello. It's been a while.”
“Hehe. Not *that* long, has it? We met fighting that bug giant last time.”
“More importantly, how are you crossing between the afterlife and the continent? New fad down there?”
Lepia gave an ambiguous smile.
“No need to worry. The Redby River's depth is unchanged. No souls loose on the continent stirring chaos.”
“But it's happening for real……”
“I picked up a few tricks from Grade.”
Offense asked with a look of utter disbelief.
“You two even exchanged greetings?”
“Yes. I introduced myself to my old party—and their initial members too.”
“Hold on. I'm lost—is this normal in the afterlife?”
Lepia shook her head.
Then, true to form, she explained with gentle kindness.
“In the afterlife, you can only stick with ‘souls you were connected to in life.’ No making new friends.”
“Hmm.”
“Well, the issue is they clump together—good ties or bad. That's why heavy sinners endure rough days here. Live righteously, all of you.”
Kaild would get utterly dismantled down there.
Jenia asked.
“That makes it even weirder, though. Lady Lepia, you never met Grade in life.”
“Guesswork, but maybe Maide here acted as a bridge to forge new ties. Grade and I both helped you all plenty of times.”
“Hmm…… So if Adwin summons the third or fourth heroes later, the afterlife could host four heroes in one spot.”
“Already met the third. Bion introduced us.”
Ah. The guy who helped big during the Black Sun mess.
Left are the fourth hero and their party.
*Padania Brooker.*
Her portrait floated up—excluding me, the most recent hero, wildly popular.
But that's not the point right now.
“So, what brings you? Tricks from Grade and all.”
“Felt something foul. Came to warn you.”
“Foul?”
“This territory holds the Greed Demon King's Jewel.”
Everyone's jaws dropped.
Me? Pure thrill.
That gut punch earlier now had solid *proof* as its weapon.
Yeah—that's why sight-sharing couldn't spot Hiren.
I said.
“As expected.”
“As expected? You……”
“Yeah. I suspected. Lady Lepia, you've confirmed it.”
Tap.
I turned to the party.
“I know where Hiren's hiding.”
“What? Where?”
“In the shadows.”
Silence fell.
Offense scowled and said.
“No need to explain, but Hiren can't use shadow sorcery. No one can. It's *my* unique art.”
“Lady Lepia just said she sensed the Greed Jewel's aura here.”
“……No.”
“Yeah.”
I nodded.
“He stole your sorcery with the Greed Jewel.”
“N-No way.”
“Try it now. Shadow sorcery.”
Offense took a deep breath and lightly closed his eyes.
Seconds later.
He spoke, face haggard—like he'd aged a decade.
“Phew. Shadow sorcery's just a fraction of my arsenal.”
“Chin up.”
“No. I'm fine.”
“Mr. Offense! You're not useless.”
“No. I'm *fine*.”
“Don't worry. You're still good for something.”
The more we comforted, the more his shoulders slumped.
Serein's line was the knockout.
“Why not learn to handle money now?”
The Greed Demon King's power lived up to its name: theft.
Naturally, as a demon king, it wasn't coins or gems.
It stole *abilities*.
The Greed Demon King could pilfer skills, sorceries, spells, magics, incantations—anything.
Lepia said.
“You suffered terribly. I lost a few techniques to that demon king too.”
“Iori said something like, ‘Stolen? Make a new one.’”
“Oh, I remember. It's infamous in history now—the wrong way.”
“He still gets roasted by mages for that line.”
“Aah. Fix the attitude, and he's a gem.”
“Well, Iori was a genius who churned out magics from the start. Not quite Neril's level, but.”
Neril flushed at the sudden praise.
Lepia continued.
“Point is, Greed's power steals abilities—but not just by glancing.”
“Right. Needs the target's blood.”
“Exactly. Offense, you said your shadow sorcery got taken? Ever let Hiren get your blood?”
Offense—nearly down for the count from Serein's jab—managed a ragged reply.
“No real memory…… Wait. No way?”
“That's it.”
Last night, facing Hiren and Idria—Offense's ear got lopped clean off.
Blood sprayed, no doubt.
Hiren fed it to the Greed Jewel and snatched Offense's ace: shadow sorcery.
“Lucky break. Greed only grabs one ability at a time.”
“You call *that* lucky?”
“Relax. We can reclaim it.”
“……”
“History says killing the Greed Demon King restored everything lost. Kill Hiren, seize the Greed Jewel—your sorcery returns.”
Offense's expression lightened a touch.
Lepia said, wistful.
“Technically, he self-destructed—not killed. Iori was *majestic* then.”
“Yeah. Save the tales for the afterlife.”
“Ahem. Sorry. Anyway, my team scoured everywhere for leftover Greed Jewel. No trace, so we figured it vanished in the blast. My miss?”
“Nah. Jewel broke—but Idria probably prepped a fake.”
Neril tilted her head and cut in.
“Idria's the fifth demon king. Greed was second. How'd she fake it ahead? Make copies without the real thing?”
Oops.
Might as well spill.
*Idria's age okay to drop? I'll skip yours.*
[Fine by me.]
*Formal intro for you now?*
[No. Like I said, crowds aren't my thing.]
Impossible to buy, given Trail's chatterbox norm—but I'd honor his wish.
Casually, I said.
“Idria's the oldest demon king.”
“……?”
“Way older than the first Destruction Demon King.”
“……”
“Doesn't change a thing. Just super long-lived.”
The group gawked, jaws working silently.
While they reeled, I shifted focus.
*Eye of Omniscience.*
[Idria and Hiren's secrets?]
I thought it over, shook my head.
*Nah…… Something else I wanna see.*
[What?]
*Me and Hiren's secret.*
[What?]
My face tightened faintly.
*Yesterday's site—Offense wasn't the only one bleeding.*
[……]
*I was mangled, puking blood everywhere. If I were Idria, I'd snag my blood on sight—steal Maide's kit.*
[Fair.]
*Maybe lured me inside ten steps *to* make me bleed.*
Idria's got the brains.
I pressed on.
*But nothing feels stolen. Gotta check.*
Trail activated the Eye wordlessly.
[Used Eye of Omniscience.]
[Current Eye of Omniscience level: 4. Viewable secret rank: A.]
[Selection condition: ‘Secret between Maide Mohan and Hiren Gois.’]
[Secret rank: A. Viewing.]
Nerve-wracking—but accessible.
[Why the nerves?]
*Me and Dad's was S-rank.*
[Rank's about secrecy—not the target.]
*Hmm.*
[Your birth secret's *that* buried. Sneaky bastard.]
I ignored him, eyed the screen.
Location: that mountain peak.
Timing: right after Offense and I pulled back.
Hiren muttered.
“Shadow sorcery…… That cursed art's evolved another step. Offense.”
Connection to Idria must've cut.
Eyes blazing hate, he went on.
“Perfect timing. I'll rip away your pride and joy—with this gift from Lady Idria.”
Hiren drew something from his robes.
A small vial.
Slosh.
Inside: earthen yellow…… bluntly, shit-brown liquid.
[What's that?]
*Vibes say Greed Jewel.*
[Vibes?]
*Greed Demon King blew up—Jewel with him. Never saw it. History's all guesswork.*
Liquid form, though?
[Heh. First king's a mountain, second's goo. Third had no form, right?]
*Yep. All weirdos.*
[Why ‘jewels’?]
*Grade faked the Destruction one as a gem, smashed it. Later cores got the ‘jewel’ tag.]
Only the Withering core actually looked the part.
Not the point.
Eyes glued to the screen.
Hiren gripped an assassin's blood-extraction tool.
Scooped Offense's spilled blood.
Uncorked the vial, mixed blood and demon jewel.
Slosh.
Shit hue seemed darker—probably imagination.
*No way he drinks that. Tell me no.*
Gulp.
[He did.]
*I'd sooner die than touch it. Straight-up shit-water visuals!*
[I agree—chill.]
Screen Hiren then spoke.
“Urgh. Never again.”
Then don't start.
I scrutinized the vial.
Downed near-all the mixed sludge—yet it refilled to brim.
*One drop left restores it?*
Makes sense—one-and-done's inefficient.
Then.
Sizzle.
Space rent open.
Grotesque sight near-routine now—terrifying.
Idria's hand thrust from the rift.
She pointed and spoke.
Voice from beyond—but the finger *looked* like it talked. Chilling.
“Sorry—one more time.”
“I-Idria?”
“Test Maide's blood too.”
Called it.
Hiren looked queasy.
Idria cooed—soft, affectionate for a demon king. Startling.
“Greed Jewel steals the target's last-used technique within twenty-four hours.”
“Yes. That's my understanding.”
“Means I pick what I crave most from Maide. I'd bet…… ‘time stop.’”
Breath caught.
Trail tsked.
[Sharp.]
*Three times right in her face.*
[You good?]
*Yeah. I'd pick same again.*
Hiren grimaced but mixed my blood into the greed sludge anyway.
Shit-water for Idria. Fourth finger of deceit, indeed.
[Don't glorify it. Sounds off.]
*Just facts.*
Swish.
Hiren swirled the vial gently.
Eyes squeezed shut, he chugged.
Idria, intrigued.
“Well? Feel it?”
“Cough. Nothing different.”
“Takes time?”
“No. Shadow sorcery's mine already. But that time mastery? No trace. ……Apologies.”
“No matter. Forget it.”
Idria pondered, muttering.
“I see. Not Maide's power—Bion's.”
Spot-on reasoning.
I marveled.
Idria pressed.
“Greed Jewel needs blood as medium. Soul-Bion spills none.”
“……”
“But that's odder still. Maide moved *alone* in halted time? Even I can't manage that.”
Tap-tap.
The rift-hand drummed the air.
“Just *what* am I up against?”