Gloriously (2)

The Great Mother. Since when had she been impersonating the mother of the Simuarde family?

Life rapidly drained from her body, now freed from possession.

The exorcism ritual was still active. A human body under possession shouldn't take damage.

Yet she became a corpse. Then bones. Then dust.

She scattered into the air without a trace, alongside the demon.

'For a duration no human body could endure.'

The bastard had deceived the Simuarde family.

Now it all made sense. Why brilliant minds like Marcelo and Bellie had fallen to the demon's status ailment.

'It was a hereditary status ailment.'

A curse in the truest sense.

The traces of Yula Simuarde vanished completely.

I seized the tail end of the floating message.

……A reward? A welcome yet unfamiliar message.

Including class quests, demon hunter quests rarely offered proper rewards— I could count them on one hand.

Of course, the steadily rising stats were reward enough in themselves.

'Whether slaying great evils or demon kings.'

The messages never even acknowledged the effort.

I hadn't expected much anyway. This was just a request from the era when Akkshan still existed, after all.

And sure enough, because I expected nothing:

What the hell is this?

No huge disappointment, at least.

……But seriously, what does this even mean?

[Akkshan's Annihilation].

As the class quest showed, Akkshan was gone entirely.

Yet relationship and influence with Akkshan increased……?

The contradictory message felt profoundly meaningful.

But.

"Even if it no longer exists, pride endures."

With one phrase, I neatly sorted my tangled thoughts.

Yeah, speculating about Akkshan right now is pointless. Not the situation for it anyway.

First objective achieved, regardless.

'Contract nullified. The time-limited curse should be gone too.'

Not a rift, but the Mage Tower on the Arcana Continent. Couldn't check real-time from reality, but faith.

No time to worry about that anyway— my current crisis ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was too dire.

'No, dire's an understatement. It's hopeless.'

The demonic eyes hanging in the sky.

Demon King Yula called them 魔眼, demon eyes.

Fitting name. Their purpose was obvious just by looking.

Scouting the Arcana Continent's movements from impossibly high above.

Now glaring at me with bulging eyes.

But everything has procedure.

I followed pride's order.

"Now, you may rest easy."

I said it to the empty air, nothing left behind.

To Yula Simuarde—no, the distant ancestor of the Simuarde family whose name I didn't know.

Grandfell's pride wouldn't allow passing without consoling her.

Even possessed by a demon, forced to watch her own body harm her descendants.

Did my stiff bow offer even meager comfort?

Splash—

For a fleeting moment, ripples stirred on Nania Lake.

Only then did I raise my head.

Gazed at the sky.

"Even forcing my gaze upward shall factor into your judgment."

Arrogant as always, I continued.

But despite the bluster, things looked truly grim.

'The morale drop from crushing three demon kings was a miracle.'

Hard to believe they'd faltered even briefly after that.

The Arcana Continent's nightscape was a demonic vista itself.

Flash—

Disturbing their sleep, perhaps?

The scant dozens of demon eyes multiplied steadily.

Dozens to hundreds. No, now too many to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠count.

Level risen. Demon hunter senses sharpened.

The presence of swarming demons filled my wide detection radius.

How loud was that roar anyway?

A quantity that made me resent it anew.

The cry reached beyond the night sky to the earth's ends, seriously.

No exaggeration.

Every demon on the Arcana Continent was fixated on me.

Beyond that, converging to kill the last demon hunter.

Their ultimate predator: me.

I spat a curt assessment.

"A desperate crisis."

First, check status.

Yula Simuarde battle consumed about 30% mana.

Before toppling Demon King Phlauros and the evil dragon, I'd be mana-exhausted, flailing in the lake by now.

'A 1-point difference grows exponentially.'

Plus World Tree's blessing buff active.

Truly grown, Hoyeol.

No time for self-praise, though.

70% mana left.

'Even factoring absurd mana regen gear……'

Not enough against the incoming demons.

No—even Marcelo. Even demigod Senios or Karimjeba. Impossible.

"Roughly millions."

No bluff here.

Even visible demons defied counting.

But I'd steeled for this.

Since deciding to enter the Arcana Continent.

"Yet great crisis births great opportunity."

Arcana Continent. All evil fixated on me.

The survivor of predator Akkshan. The last demon hunter.

Yet I didn't retreat.

Not before lowly imps.

Not before demon kings.

Not before great evils, nor beneath those skyborne demon eyes.

I stood tall, as always.

Yes, this rigid posture was me— thrashing to stay afloat.

So I thrashed, fully prepared.

"Come. Today, I shall indulge you."

Full preparation? Simple: hunt demons till death.

Yes, that matched Grandfell's pride.

And mine, Lee Hoyeol's.

Experience and levels mere numbers to Grandfell, but vital to me……!

'Don't forget death penalty.'

Back when Arcana was just a game, its death penalty was infamous.

As Last Adventurer title showed: 24-hour login ban, plus brutal exp loss.

So.

'After all this, I need to break even at least.'

Hunt max demons to offset death penalty.

That was my true intent.

Glad intent aligned for once.

No hesitation in action.

Cling— I drew my sword from my waist.

Sword aura sharpened further in the battlefield of life and death.

As said, a field where death was inevitable anyway.

To maximize exp and sword aura, pull out everything for value.

"At last, you face a foe worthy of baring your fangs."

……Thank god no one's watching.

Talking to items now, not even muttering.

But good I remembered.

I floated the fang, [Wicked Earth Dragon's Fang], with mana.

I stared at the battlefield.

Rumble— Groan—

Immense vibrations. Dimensions apart from demons in reality or rifts.

Above all, gigantic.

Beast-type demon monsters rivaling demon kings in malice, despite not being them.

Facing them, it clicked. Why the Arcana Continent fell without real resistance.

"Not a shred of refinement in your steps."

Beyond manners, they looked incomprehensible.

But.

I advanced toward the horde.

"No further commotion shall I permit."

Near the lake, Simuarde mansion.

Inside, Simuarde retainers. Freshly freed from long ailment.

Too busy grasping the situation.

Can't drag them into battle.

Short-range teleports in succession. Distanced from the lake.

Indeed, target solely me?

Roll—

Demon eyes' pupils shifted, locking on instantly.

See, not over the lake now.

No wasted mana henceforth……

True all-out war imminent.

White outer wings: about thirty stored attribute magics.

Even all unleashed, wouldn't fell many.

Thus, bet on [Strange].

Aesthetics: Medium

Copy-paste simplicity for complex interferences.

Mana efficiency awing even Mage Tower seniors.

Yes, I manifested such [Strange] on my strongest weapon.

Wicked Earth Dragon's Fang.

Zzzzt—

Unlike biting attribute magics.

Pure mana studies for raw destruction.

Recalling senior pure mana mage Banggrit Tom, I manifested.

Pure mana coiled around the floating dragon fang.

That instant, Aesthetics effect triggered.

Emerging in [Strange]'s manifestation: mana dragon writhing alive.

70% mana left.

Even all-in, couldn't match 'the unsealed one' in scale.

But rivaled the visible beast demons.

I released the snarling dragon's leash.

"Rampage freely."

Bzzzzt—!

Destruction plus destruction.

Plus [Strange]: synergy beyond addition.

Where the mana dragon swept, no demons remained.

Weaker ones vaporized by pure mana force; survivors pierced by dragon fang.

No leisure to admire calmly.

Mana now near exhaustion. No more spells for a while.

Fine, though.

I'm no mage.

I'm the predator you fear most: demon hunter.

Sword in right hand, left to inventory.

What I drew: a crossbow.

Not auction-bought.

Such items don't hit auctions.

Level restriction, grade— any ranged player would drool.

Yes.

From Shadow Mercenary 2nd seat, Wolf Sakarin.

Tracing back: post-demon king crushing, first meeting.

—"An honor to achieve such a feat together, sir."

More knightly than even Kichi.

In preparations, spoke with Wolf again.

—"……Archery is my specialty, but interested in that? Starting to fear you differently…… No. I'll help to the best of my knowledge."

To carve one more hole.

Demon hunter skills sparse by nature.

Few left at zero mana. Precious.

Skill proficiencies aside.

Wolf was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠awed.

—"Hitting from that distance……!"

—"Nothing left to teach at this level."

—"If willing, accept this?"

—"Not impressive—just my old crossbow from novice days. Awkward to sell, perfect owner found."

Less than Harcon or Matis, but fervent reaction.

Thanks to stuffing every cool item into that era's settings.

Click— Loaded Wolf's crossbow with bolt.

Obviously silver-tipped.

Not the old me fretting over one silver arrow.

Pure doesn't mean broke.

Quite the opposite— wallet worry-free, even profligate.

"No quarreling. Plenty to share."

No bolt shortage fears.

Assumed combat stance.

"……!"

Flawless Lion Heart knight posture.

Charging demons hesitated an instant.

Seized the gap, fired crossbow repeatedly.

Thuk—

One-hand reload impossible.

Thuk—

But trace mana regen real-time.

Thuk—

Can't manifest grand spells, but loading fine.

Archery power scales with agility.

Even boosted by Natural Enemy.

Obviously lags behind same-level archer players.

But I have Silver Mastery.

With Natural Enemy.

Ultimate efficiency vs high demons.

Proficiency nearing peak.

"Gaaargh!!"

"I'll kill you!"

"Filthy human!"

Even upper demons: criticals stagger them.

I didn't miss openings.

Charged through, unleashed sword aura.

Swoosh—!

Damn.

Demons everywhere, filling vision.

Not a true swordmaster.

Can't dodge all.

Flank. Cheek. Back. Thigh.

Pain everywhere.

So this is getting hit by monsters.

Damn, respect for Nam Taemin, Leoni melee players rising.

But like thoughts, can't show pain.

Unyielding posture amid agony.

That's Grandfell's pride.

Of course, Lee Hoyeol won't endure purely on grit.

Items for that.

Petty? Inevitable.

This moment demands utmost pettiness to the end.

Hold as many demons as possible.

To stage a glorious finale.

……What did I say earlier?

Time's flow irrelevant to me?

Feels real now.

Montage. Extreme limits.

Everything slowed.

Battle entered with death resolved.

Thus?

"……!"

Body's senses sharpened, eyes opening anew.

No illusion.

Despite plummeting vitality.

Sword aura grew clearer.

'……Not sword aura. Sword gang.'

Like Harcon's blade, dense.