Became the Heroine's Trauma (3)
Hold on a second—let me talk about the in-game story. Though I call it "in-game," it's actually the core tale of this world I've possessed.
The remaining 99.99%, that 0.01%. It's something you can grasp within the game itself, but an element you can't achieve without meeting specific conditions—one that holds the world's secrets. For example, the final boss everyone knows as the Demon King has a different true name. Or the so-called demon realm isn't actually a demon realm at all. Or the angels sent by the goddess are actually—
"......Cough."
Blood trickles from my mouth. My body can't withstand the mana surging through every inch of me; it's breaking down from mana overload.
No. This is the goddess's curse.
It's heavenly punishment for committing a "taboo" that the goddess, watching from above, has forbidden on the earthly plane.
Demon power. The power wielded by entities branded "demons" by this world and its goddess cult.
"Unbelievable, really."
One of the sources of that power—and the strongest among the SS-rank bosses in the original story—I'm wielding it right now, so the goddess is assaulting me with the "holy power" she's spread across the entire world below.
The count is dead, the territory reduced to ruins, and she stayed silent... but the moment I use demon power, she reacts instantly.
Can the goddess hear me? Probably. As someone who's possessed this world, she's no doubt been watching me closely for a long time, ever since I deviated from the rails of fate she'd laid out.
Even if not, she'll realize it now. The magical power bursting from my body—this power blazing as blue flames—is fundamentally different from other demons'.
Kiiiiek!!
The moment I leave the lord's castle, the monster goes berserk. On the surface, it looks like a four-legged shadow beast rampaging—but—
"Show yourself."
Flick.
Within that black shadow, a faint glimmer of holy power twinkles ever so slightly.
"So she sent you to kill me."
Kyaaak!
The monster charges. A heavenly watchdog infused with holy power, disguised unmistakably as a monster, barrels toward me with jaws wide open.
Whoosh.
I snap my fingers forward. Just like practicing basic ignition spells or fireballs, I hurl the blue flames igniting on my hand straight at the watchdog.
Fizzle.
The blue flames envelop the watchdog in an instant. Unless that hidden holy power within the shadow is extinguished, the watchdog will rebuild its body and charge again—but—
"Useless. These flames... they burn even holy power."
The Archduke of Hell's blue flames spare nothing, not even holy power—the force that must hold absolute supremacy against any other. They can annihilate the very origin of that power.
That's the unique trait of these blue flames, Chang Yeom.
'That's why they were exiled to the demon realm.'
Fizzle.
The watchdog burns away in the Chang Yeom, crumbling to nothing. Not even ashes remain; the incinerated holy power scatters like mist into the air.
"Aaaagh!!"
"S-save us!!"
Screams from the territory's people echo ahead. They're fleeing toward me from something, pursued by what folks commonly call "demons"—horned brutes over 5 meters tall, muscled masses wielding jagged saw-swords meant for butchery, bat-winged horrors.
"Goddess! Please, save us... Aaaagh!!"
Kuhuhu, how foolish.
As if that goddess would help you now?
My words. I don't exactly approve of demons who take joy in slaughtering mid-realm lifeforms out of fundamental vengeance—but at least when it comes to the goddess, I get it.
"Goddess! Please, with your holy power, these demons!!"
Kuhaha! Scream all you want! The goddess won't lift a finger for vermin like you!
The demon shouts that, but does it even know? That it's not one of the demons the goddess fears so much.
Fwosh.
A pillar of light plummets from the high heavens to the earth. As it touches down, holy power takes form—a massive full-plate armor adorned with angelic wings.
'Already sending down angels?'
There's no one inside. These Guardian Angels are the goddess's sentinels, armor and wings embodying the angels themselves. Slaughter machines that eliminate anything opposing the goddess or threatening her holy power.
Puhuhu, what'll you do?
The voice pierces straight into my head, not my ears. It's the same one from our initial contract, but hearing the owner—the one I heard most in my final in-game playthrough—speaking directly to me like this feels nostalgic.
Save the territory folk? Or take down those Guardian Angels trying to kill you for using 'my power'?
'It's decided.'
I charge forward, continuously sprinting while thrusting my right hand ahead.
Hm? This feeling...
The demon grabbing the middle-aged man by the hand to hurl him spots me the instant—
What.
Whoosh.
I snap my fingers, and blue flames splash right onto the demon's face.
Kraaaagh!!
The demon writhes in agony, dropping the middle-aged man to the ground. It reaches for its face to extinguish the flames, only to freak out and hastily cast a spell. Water-attribute magic. Cold water pours from the magic circle as the demon tries to douse the fire—but—
How?! Why?! These flames— Kraaaagh!
The flames don't go out. They engulf the demon's head in a flash, incinerating it. Its body, forged from demon realm magic, topples forward in a heap.
Whoosh.
"Hah, huff...!"
The middle-aged man gulps, staring at me with terror-stricken eyes.
"Hiiik...!"
I glance at myself reflected in his necklace. There was no 7-year-old Regiph Hapsderk there. No boy destined to become the Golden Sun—just an adult man born from the blue flames that had burned away that boy's shell entirely.
Shocked? Of course. Did you think a mere 7-year-old human body could withstand the Archduke of Hell's flames?
Regiph's flesh... it's gone.
Yet how are you holding up so calmly? ...You don't seem 7 at all~
'If you're curious, help me fulfill the contract first?'
I charge ahead. The demons approaching one by one ahead freeze in shock upon seeing me.
Yes, yes. The contract was clear... to deal with the 'marquis-rank demon' sealed in this land, right?
'Lend me your power until that demon is dealt with.'
Whoosh, whoosh.
I burn the demons spilling from the demon realm one by one as I race toward the Monster Zone. My speed rivals a sports car, no—a proper race car.
Hmm, fascinating. The more I watch, the more it seems like you 'know exactly how to use it'...?
A face flashes across my vision. Ethereal and blurry, familiar yet unfamiliar, it brushes my sight for a moment.
How do you act like you 'know everything'...?
She's speaking politely, but she's actively trying to gauge my true nature.
Or maybe saying that is pointless? You knew my 'true name' from the start, that's why you summoned me for this contract. Puhuhu.
All she's really wondering is how a 7-year-old human summoned her.
You use it just like you've handled it before. My essence. Have we... met somewhere before?
And how I can wield that power so familiarly.
'First time using it.'
In truth. I just know it well from using it at the end of the game. And basically, this Chang Yeom isn't all that different from regular flames in application.
In-game, the protagonist is an all-rounder who can master mana of various attributes.
'I've used fire-attribute characters hundreds of times already.'
I often fought with fire attributes during speedruns or hardcore plays. Even after coming to this world, I'd honed fire magic.
'Ignite.'
I snap my fingers toward my target, sparking mana flames.
Kihehehet...! Time for slaughter...! Blood vengeance on those who stole our land...!
The demons endlessly pouring from the Monster Zone strut triumphantly into the territory—but.
Eh?
The moment they notice me.
The Archduke's flames—!
Whoosh.
Kiaaaaaagh!!
They burst into my blue flames and ignite.
R-run!!
One demon screams.
Get hit by those flames, and summons or whatever—your soul burns up too!!
Demons summoned to the mid-realm—especially those called forth by another demon—leave their true bodies in the demon realm and send only their souls here.
Puhuhu, no need to fear that much~
Not the one I summoned by true name, though.
They'll burn up without even feeling pain, so why worry?
"Save that line for the demon up ahead?"
Thud.
I've arrived. Far past the Monster Zone boundary, at the cave entrance swarming with demons.
Thud, thud, thud.
A colossal figure over 40 meters tall. Each step sends tremors like an earthquake—this massive entity is one of the bosses conquerable after the second playthrough—
Oh? I thought it was someone... Ratatosk?
Its name: Ratatosk. One of the demon realm's counts, summoned to the mid-realm only to be sealed by the first Hapsderk Archduke. In simple terms, a horned giant squirrel.
They said you hadn't shown up here in ages, but you weren't sleeping—you got wrecked by a human and sealed? Ahaha!
I laugh. Couldn't help it.
Kishaaaaaaa!!
The 40-meter squirrel splits its jaws wide and unleashes a guttural screech.
How dare you spout such nonsense before me! After centuries of slumber, some fool babbling demon tongue...!
Oh my.
I step forward, and I feel something bursting from behind me.
Who did you just say that to? Hehe. My contractor?
Uh, uh...
I don't know how this human figured out my true name either...
I press my palms together like in prayer, steadying my breath.
But we made a contract. The price? 'Everything.' Handle that thing, and you'll learn how he knew my true name and summoned me like this. Puhuhu.
Maybe he even knows how to 'draw out this power.'
I know. I've seen it done, and I've done it once myself.
1,000th playthrough. The final piece to complete the game. Contracting with the strongest of Hell's seven archdukes—the boss and "thought-form" entity—as a "companion." Not the thought-form, but her true body dwelling in the demon realm's depths. The very last companion in the game.
"Descent."
I intone the epithet of the 99-level, strongest SS-rank boss.
"Phoenix."
Blue flames envelop me as fiery wings unfurl from my back.
Now, give it a try. The mightiest power of the demon realm, forged by burning your flesh and everything else.
The power of total annihilation, feared even by the goddess.
The power of 'Chang Yeom.'
"Chang Yeom."
Whoosh.
"Array Deployment."
The blue flames' "domain" unfolds across the battlefield. A phoenix sanctuary wreathed in blazing azure fire.