Chapter 96
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Holy Knight's Science Lecture
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Peeeng-!
Fun.
Just swinging a thin, sturdy piece of metal around, and it makes a sound like a string instrument.
The demon whose chest I slashed stood frozen, like it'd been electrocuted.
The sword wound shimmered faintly before swallowing the demon's entire body.
'Dissolving into light?'
Was this the effect of infusing divine power into this holy sword?
If I'd known, I would've tested it without the divine power first.
Anyway.
I don't know the full story, but Yuderg must've really hated losing this sword.
In this world, weapons are life itself to warriors.
Even Walter, the ex-bandit, sleeps clutching his bow and dagger.
So I should keep it safe and return it later.
Yuderg probably dropped it hoping for exactly that.
I tossed the sword up into the tree.
Ibu snatched it midair and whined.
"Whyy are you givin' me thiiis-."
"Hold onto it and give it back to Yuderg when you see him. Consider it payment for the cloak you're wearing."
"Okaaaay-."
Good kid, my Ibu.
"Graaandpaa-. Those guys comin' back or whaaat-."
Ah, so that's what he was after.
Fighting with Yuderg's sword would be more effective, sure. But I have something better than an elemental blade.
Inspiration.
A flash of genius, sharp as a spike.
Kraaaaa-!
The black mist that had spread through the forest began to coalesce. Reacting to their presence.
The dense fog hardened into sharp thorns, blades.
'That's probably how they sliced off Yuderg's arm.'
Setting aside Yuderg's skill, I'd wondered how these unarmed demons could leave wounds on him. And there was the answer.
Whips, axes, arrows, rings... and what the hell is that? Multiple clubs linked by ring-shaped joints, hammers, and other nameless blades.
Probably tools from their pre-demon days.
Now, the weapons of these spectral demons surged toward me.
With Blue Eye, I traced their attack paths.
'They're avoiding vitals. Planning to capture me alive.'
Shing-!
I drew the sword I'd grabbed from the sanctuary in a lightning draw.
Draw and swing in one fluid motion.
One swing, loaded with four layers of power.
Clang-clang-clang-crash-!
Four dark blades shattered.
The broken demon weapons dissolved back into mist, then slowly reformed.
'Yeah. Knew it.'
Just confirming my curiosity, anyway.
Durability alone won't crush demon weapons.
Time to test how much mana—my allotted "medicine"—I really have.
'I command thee—.'
I heated the sword with the Ruler of Frost's authority.
The heat scorched not just the blade but the surrounding air.
The fog, melted and fragmented by the heat, clumped even tighter.
I'd just gifted their weapons better tempering.
Not the result I expected, but whatever. Stabbed by sword or mist, pain's the same.
"Time for the holy knight's physics lesson."
Chemistry? Too dumb to know.
Just call it the holy knight's science lecture.
"Any teachers here know what happens when you put ice on fire?"
Kuuuuh-!
Don't swing that iron mace at your holy knight teacher if you don't know—say you don't know!
I dodged the incoming club and severed its arm.
The arm turned to mist, then regrew from the stump.
Even with Blue Eye active, that regeneration speed was insane.
'Wrath of the Glacier—.'
No fancy skill names, so who knows what's what.
I just summon whatever comes to mind.
The blade's surface rippled gently with frost-laced intent.
A blade that neither melted nor froze solid.
A long scythe lunged for my legs.
I leaped lightly, flipping backward in midair.
I locked eyes with Ibu, who was covering his mouth.
I flashed a grin. Ibu, your panties are showing.
Kaang-! Shwaaa-!
I parried the axe aiming for my right arm; metal clanged with a splash.
And then.
'That foul stench.'
Sniff sniff.
What the hell? Sudden rotten egg whiff?
"Ughhh-!"
Up in the tree, Ibu couldn't hold it in and dry-heaved.
With his heightened senses, no way he'd miss that smell.
'This stench is fucking vile!'
Ugly bastards stinking too? Unforgivable.
The black mist, barely visible even with Blue Eye, now reeked like sewage upon meeting my authority.
Like pollutants blooming in water.
Mix coffee and cigarette butts, feed to a drunk, and that's tame breath compared to this.
Breathing through my mouth, I said,
"Holy knight's science lecture, lesson two."
I unleashed divine power freely.
Gale winds whipped my cloak and flattened the underbrush.
But no light shone from my body.
I gathered the radiating holy light onto the blade.
Fwoooosh-!
I spun once, deploying the constellation sword barrier.
Countless stars formed patterns, draping my body in a veil like Ibu's rock egg.
Kakakakang-.
Stars embedded in the barrier repelled the dark blades.
The black mist around me vanished, taking the stench with it.
Huu-. Finally breathable.
"How do you purify pollutants? Any teachers know?"
What should I call this sword?
Magma on the blade, frost on top, holy light layered—.
"Baba- balaba-."
Screw it.
Who cares about names.
Kraaaaa-!
One let out a roar.
Ho?
I saw it clearly with both eyes.
From the thickest black mist poured dark energy like threads from that one.
Those black strands connected to the other demons scattered around.
'A hidden demon lord puppeteering it. Controlling the rest through that one.'
Divine power, mana, black magic.
A world still full of mysteries for a civilized holy knight.
Kraaaaa-!
Dozens of demons charged on command.
Kwadudung-.
Their sharp weapons splintered thick trees.
Shwaaaa-.
Black winds stained the forest.
"Come on!"
I unleashed constellation swordsmanship in all directions.
Spinning repeatedly, shifting footwork irregularly.
"Slow! You sluggish bastards!"
I shouted to hype myself up.
Wonder how I look to Ibu.
Like a madman crazier than him?
Dancing with blades amid encirclement, fretting over others' gazes.
I'm an irredeemable show-off.
"Break through! Catch me if you can!"
Trusting the constellation barrier, I taunted like a cheeky rat.
Rampaging like nothing scared me.
'Gotta look like tasty prey.'
Well, they'd grab me anyway, even if bland.
Make them desperate to capture and brainwash me.
That was the plan.
Kwakaa- shwashwaaa-.
Metal clashes faded, leaving only splashes.
Even the untainted winds carried the stench now.
The mist had broken down, mingling with nature.
As demons swarmed like wild dogs, I grinned leisurely.
"Asking again. How do you purify pollutants?"
Purification moment.
"No one? Nobody knows?"
Those who don't know are heretics.
Heretics get death.
I dropped the barrier.
The surrounding galaxy faded like depleted durability.
Kraaaaa-!
Unimpeded demons charged again.
I aimed my dripping sword at them.
"Light—."
The blade enveloped in light once more.
Targeting the foes, I twisted my wrist.
A vortex of water swirled around the sword.
"Wash away filth with water, disinfect with light. Combine them for sterilizing solution."
Light mixed into each vortex tendril.
"Add flow to the sterilizer, and it accelerates. Remember that."
Science lecture over.
I targeted every demon with eyes and senses.
Except the primary puppet under the black sorcerer's control—that one precisely.
"I command thee—."
Exactly 23 demons...? Things? Whatever.
Superhuman, sure, but to me unbound by time, they were 23 sloths.
Thrusts aimed at each.
"Return to the starlight awaiting you......"
One spin: six vortexes launched from the blade.
Kukuwakwa-!
Another spin: six more.
Kwakwakwa-!
Quadruple axel with six thrusts each.
Kukuwakwakwa-!
23 glowing water streams engulfed the demons. Whirling viciously, shredding and purifying them.
One vortex I deliberately whiffed, pretending a miss.
The surviving one lost its thick puppeteering aura.
The faint black magic threads dispersed upward or drooped. Visible only to my Blue Eye.
"Ah, dang it-. Shit. Missed one. Used all my strength, can't even stand now-. Oh man, what now."
I propped on the sword and dropped to one knee.
"Urp-. Oh man-. No strength left, what do I do-."
"G-grandpaa-. Need help-?"
Tactless Ibu whispered.
I irritably waved him off behind my back. Shut up.
I eyed the last demon.
Its head twitched unnaturally side to side.
It approached slowly, warily.
Definitely not its own will.
A normal demon would've charged straight.
Sensing the plan's success, I delivered the finisher.
"Ahh-, so dizzy? Feels like I'm gonna pass out-."
Hoeeng-.
I nasally cooed and flopped face-down. Relaxed like truly exhausted, limp as a ragdoll. Kids faking frailty always do this.
Knees buckled, feet flipped up, sprawled like a dropped puppet.
Nice—perfect flop acting.
As a middle-school educated holy knight, I can pull off a pro faint.
Face-down, I pondered.
'Let's see.'
Used less than half my mana.
Despite big techniques.
Even mixed two authorities.
'Hm. Good. Grown a lot.'
Kuuuuh-.
The demon pushed through the brush.
Poked me a few times, then hoisted me over its shoulder.
'Nice.'
Carried like this, no sore legs. Ribs ache a bit, though.
Gives Ibu room to tail without interference.
Once he notes where I'm taken, he'll loop back to Loginin and Hama—wait?
No, that punk? Why isn't he following?
Ibu just flapped his mouth.
Grandpa-. Where goin-.
Fuck, this goldfish bastard.
'Follow quietly, moron!'
I raised a finger to my lips, then beckoned Ibu with gestures. World upside-down, but signals work flipped.
Aha-!
Ibu finally got it, smacking fist to palm.
'Sigh, gotta teach him everything step by step.'
I suffer so much.
Body rocked like a cradle.
Blood rushed to my face, drowsiness hit.
Took a quick break, eyes half-closed. Staring too long dried 'em out.
Snooore......
Not sleeping. Faking a faint with light snores.
Snooore......
For real. Don't believe me, puke—heretic. Heretics die double.
Snooore......
Told you, not sleeping? Wanna die? Don't know heretics' fate?
Blue scenery whipped by.
Dangling over the demon's shoulder, I mused.
'How many controlling demons will there be?'
Ugh, hate crowds.
Claustrophobic.
Perched on stinking half-corpse shoulder, holding in gut pain, fake-sleeping, multitasking.
I suffer so much.