Inviting the Demon into Consciousness
"Inviting a demon into one's consciousness carries two meanings. That was what the demon hunters of Akkshan said."
"The first is literal—a ritual. An act performed according to established laws to annihilate the demon. The second requires explanation."
So where, precisely, is the invited demon brought?
Tap, tap—he had touched his temple.
"Exactly. The demon is invited into the demon hunter's mind."
...
I deliberately provoked Count Ascura.
"Why does an ugly vampire still dare to call itself nobility?"
Count Ascura bristled with killing intent at my question. I wondered if I should have held back the final jab... but the water was already spilled. Besides, it was exactly what I wanted.
'No point dragging this out.'
Count Ascura was level 430. And not just that—he'd reclaimed all the authority I'd distributed. His true strength surpassed even that level, no doubt.
Me, a mere level 100, facing a monster like that? Even with Natural Enemy and magic, I couldn't guarantee meaningful damage.
But the Exorcism Ritual changed everything.
'Invite the demon into my consciousness.'
In simple terms, it meant dragging the demon into my head.
Back when Arcana was just a game, I'd run the ritual countless times. Looking back, I was fearless then. The horror-game-level production values during the ritual? I watched without flinching.
That experience let me stand here now.
'Control of the ritual hinges on mental fortitude.'
A battle of wills? That was one thing I could confidently claim expertise in.
『No demon's temptation, deception, or trial can scratch Grandfell's noble pride.』
Not baseless bravado. I had reason to believe.
Vampire, Count Ascura, is invited into the consciousness.
Count Ascura, now in Grandfell's—my—mind. I stared him down.
In this moment, how did I appear in those red eyes of his?
...
"!"
Ascura doubted his own eyes.
What had happened? I was clearly standing at the top of the stairs...?
'What the hell? Why?'
Our positions had swapped? He was now looking down at himself from the stairs.
'How...!!'
How high up was that? Even craning his neck back, he couldn't make out the figure clearly!
Ascura bellowed.
"You used a vile trick, human!!"
A supremely leisurely voice replied.
"Vile, you say? What is so vile about it, Ascura?"
No trace of tension—an utterly arrogant demeanor. Ascura felt a chill of wrongness.
'Impossible...!'
He'd unleashed his full killing intent. A pathetic human should be trembling in terror. Yet the man stood unfazed.
Ascura spat.
"...I see. A deception. It must be. How else could our positions swap? How else could I not look up and see you? It's all a pathetic illusion!"
Clack—the click of heels echoed in his ears. The arrogant voice continued.
"Is that so? That's how it appears to your eyes, then."
"...?!"
...What? What did that mean?
Ascura screamed inwardly.
'No. It's definitely an illusion. Simple trickery!'
His eyes couldn't be wrong. It was just a position swap. He'd blinked, and...
"!"
...No, he hadn't blinked. He hadn't let his guard down. He'd moved to tear apart the fool mouthing off.
So when the hell had he pulled off a swap like that? In his castle, no less.
"Then behold, Ascura."
"...?"
"What do you see now?"
With the question, something blotted his vision.
A rock of incomprehensible size.
"...Don't you dare toy with me!!"
Rumble—!
To be precise, a stone coffin. The massive stone lid crashed toward him.
Ascura summoned his magic.
'Dangerous.'
It might look like a coffin, but it wouldn't matter. The problem was the scale. Even ordinary rock at that size was lethal.
"Begone!!"
Whoosh—!
Magic blasted at the coffin. But for some reason...
It didn't even scratch.
Ascura panicked.
'What the...?'
He'd used over half his mana. Yet not a mark?
Panic was brief. The voice returned.
"You seem to be in dire straits, Ascura."
...Unforgivable!
In an instant, Ascura's form vanished into thin air. Or rather, scattered into hundreds of bats.
"Damn it!"
Reforming from bats to vampire, Ascura gasped for breath.
He'd dodged the coffin by burning his last-resort one-time escape skill.
"No dignity in that ragged breathing, either."
"...Shut up!"
"But now it's certain."
Clack—heels descending the stairs again.
Ascura smirked inwardly.
'Foolish human.'
Walking right into his grasp. Whatever trick he'd used, the frustration of not even seeing him clearly...
'Come down those stairs, and you're done.'
Ascura steadied his breath. Readied his fangs for the captured prey.
Clack—the heel clicks stopped.
Ascura looked up. And froze in horror.
"...H-How?"
Clearly descending the stairs. Same ground underfoot.
Yet why... was he still looking up at the man?
"How's the new perspective, Ascura? No—ugly vampire."
Impossible. This was his castle. Tricks shouldn't work here.
As if reading his mind, the man spoke.
"Do you still think this is your castle?"
"What do you—?!"
"Look properly, vampire."
"...?"
Ascura scanned his surroundings.
"Th-This can't be. Why are the portraits...?"
Showing that man's face?
All his self-portraits had become portraits of the man.
Something was wrong. Cold sweat beaded on Ascura's brow.
The leisurely voice echoed.
"All of this is your fear."
*
Whoosh—rushing wind.
Jessie Haynes clutched her pointed hat and stammered.
"Wh-What am I even seeing...!"
Her staff grip was pointless. Nothing happened to her.
Level 397. Player ranking 4th. Her combat prowess outstripped ranking 2nd Rocks, rivaling even 1st Skal.
The great mage Jessie Haynes?
No. Absolutely not.
Her opponent: level 430 named monster. A demonkin, no less. Just his appearance had tensed her up.
That nothing happened to Jessie was entirely thanks to that extremely mysterious magic guy!
"What is that overkill reaction?!"
The extremely mysterious magic guy—Hoyeol—had merely erected a stone pillar.
Like against Count Ascura's knights.
Yet Count Ascura overreacted wildly.
'That size didn't warrant that!'
Overconcentrating mana. Swinging to shatter the pillar was odd enough... and he even missed.
Boom—!
The castle crumbled, revealing the sky. And to dodge the falling pillar, he suddenly turned to bats and fled.
"And what has he been staring at?!"
His gaze was unsteady, too. Count Ascura kept glaring at the ceiling. Panting, yelling at thin air. Eventually freaking out at his own portraits.
"...Feels kinda familiar."
Why? The sight wasn't unfamiliar to Jessie.
Pondering, she realized.
"That's it! No matter how you look, that's Fear status abnormality!"
...
I checked the rising message.
Afflicts Vampire, Count Ascura.
...Close call.
I felt the level gap acutely. Especially Ascura's mana.
'A graze would kill me.'
If I'd charged in relying solely on demon hunter class? I'd be crossing the Styx by now.
Melee was impossible, too. A casual hand wave shattered surroundings.
Thankfully, longcoat and suit posed no issue. Armor wouldn't have helped against a brush.
But that was my situation. Ascura couldn't know.
Proof came in successive messages.
Hunt the Vampire. (In Progress)
📍 ● Notify the start of the hunt. (Success)
📍 ● Instill the fear of being hunted. (Success)
📍 ● Hunt the vampire. (In Progress)
All that remained: hunt the fear-stricken Count Ascura.
"...Y-You, my fear? Impossible."
A vampire bereft of will to fight. Easy prey? Not for me.
I lacked confidence in one-shotting him. No magic or physical power that potent.
'Not enough.'
Sure, I'd mimicked player skills after watching. But stats and gear were the issue.
Even demon-slaying silver weapons lacked absolute attack power.
'Curse my weakness.'
A chance to solo the XP...!
But冷静 judgment was needed. I drew my silver dagger, interfering with its form.
Four silver daggers split off, stake-like.
I didn't hesitate.
Shoo, shoo—!!
To the will-broken Ascura, I launched the silver stakes.
Pfsh, pfsh—!!
Quartering the already short daggers made stakes tiny.
"N-Nooooo!!"
But fear-warped Ascura reacted differently. As if impaled by massive stakes, he convulsed.
'Fear alone won't fell a foe.'
No telling how long the status would last.
So I said:
"I'll leave the cleanup to you."
My best effort. The pointed hat bobbed.
"Pardon? Leave it to me? After you've finished it off?!"
What to reply? Honestly? I'm not capable? Impossible.
Grandfell's noble nature forbade admitting weakness. Death before confession.
Fortunately:
"Ah! Sorry! I forgot my manners! Ignore my backtalk!"
The hat promptly chanted a skill. I watched.
Rooooar—!
Mana condensed at staff tip. Blonde hair whipped. Pupils frosted blue. Air warped. Sky churned.
"Heaven's Punishment."
That instant.
Crackle—!!
A fierce bolt struck from the heavens. The area quaked.
BOOM—!!
Delayed thunder roared. Ears rang.
'Top player power?'
Beyond my reach. Felt the gap again today, from Ascura and players.
But no despair. Even if her skill finished him, my contribution making him that vulnerable was greater.
Messages confirmed.
Kill contribution for Count Ascura recognized.
High kill contribution: Loot auto-acquired.
All utterly deserved. No surprise there.
I checked my inventory—and flinched.
...Wait, even so, shouldn't I be surprised here?