Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Judges of Demorus
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053
Up until now, the people I'd seen had mostly been greenhorns, save for a few exceptions.
The ones I could somewhat acknowledge were the likes of Arin, Alman, and Gallio.
They definitely knew how to conceal their presence and pack immense power into the smallest details.
"Sein Demorus is innocent—!"
The difference was stark.
That meant they were precise and sharp to an extreme degree.
No matter how fine a famed sword you wield, it's meaningless if you can't handle it properly.
"If anyone is guilty, it's me!"
Due to Sanctuary's setup, those with mana couldn't even utilize a third of their power effectively.
"It's known that even master-level experts only use about half."
"My name is—!"
Balak Demorus—!
Thus, if one could fully harness their mana.
Even half a master's level would be enough to defeat a master.
"The lord of Borfeo, take the rightful criminal and release Sein Demorus!"
Buuuung!
Balak slammed his massive greatsword into the ground as he spoke.
Having endured all sorts of injustices, Balak harbored especially deep resentment toward lords.
"Please, don't make me spill blood."
Gooooh!
He was venting his rage, overlaying his own memories onto the current situation.
"Overkill much."
A voice cut in at that moment.
"Sein—!"
Balak flashed a bright smile, as if his fury had never existed.
'That's why I like him.'
It was unexpected.
I hadn't doubted Balak's loyalty was genuine, but I hadn't anticipated it would mobilize this quickly and decisively.
"My good boy, as expected."
The sight of him wagging his tail like a puppy reuniting with its owner.
"You okay?"
"This is Zone 8. How bad could things get?"
"But your appearance…"
Come to think of it, Remi had said something like that.
That he looked as if he'd endured brutal torture in an underground prison.
"Well, let's just say there were circumstances. Anyway, don't worry about it."
Only then did Balak yank his greatsword from the ground.
"Rasiel won't stand idly by on this matter either. The humiliation you've suffered…"
"That's the problem."
"……?"
Balak gave me a puzzled look at my words.
"What the hell did you bring with you?"
"What do you mean?"
Balak seemed clueless.
He wasn't stupid, but he wasn't sharp either.
He must have used up more than half his brain capacity just to pull me into Tanba.
I couldn't expect much from someone like that.
"And what are you lot?"
I directed the question toward the onlookers behind Balak.
"Oh, them? Guides assigned by Rasiel."
"……."
"They said it'd help with your rescue if I brought them along."
He'd stirred up way too much trouble.
"Just as rumored."
"You saw through the act?"
"……."
Finally, three figures emerged from among the onlookers.
"Pleased to meet you, Sein Demorus."
The middle-aged man at the front addressed me.
Only then did Balak seem to catch on.
That these weren't just ordinary Rasiel guides.
"In the end, it all circles back to Borfeo."
"Gonna die of annoyance."
A youthful man and a woman behind the middle-aged man tossed in quips like a comedy duo.
"We are…"
The middle-aged man, who seemed to be their leader.
He declared:
"Direct subordinates of Demorus, the Judges. I am Gowler, in charge of the Third Tribunal."
"Sobian."
"Dande."
Judges.
In some ways, they wielded authority surpassing even the three great organizations like Rasiel.
This marked the first appearance of Demorus's direct enforcers.
*
*
*
The power they exuded was on par with Kampe, Rasiel's former head of force.
Compared to Alman or Felipe from the other day, they didn't even reach half.
But.
"……."
I was more wary of them than when I'd faced those two.
"To pierce right through us from the start—impressive."
Gowler spoke in admiration.
"Truly seeing beyond the darkness."
Beyond the darkness.
"As expected of the candidate chosen by the Witch."
I let their words go in one ear and out the other.
'Why are they here?'
I focused solely on gauging their intentions, goals, and full strength.
No matter how superior the Judges' intelligence network, they couldn't have heard about Contra in less than 24 hours.
Even if they had, they surely wouldn't know my involvement for certain.
After all, Immortalga himself would pour every resource into covering it up.
'Lord assassination?'
Or perhaps.
'Real rescue?'
I needed to figure it out.
Whether they were enemies or not.
Swipe.
"No need to be so tense. In Borfeo, claiming the name of Demorus is no longer a crime for you."
Gowler stated confidently.
"At this moment, we've confirmed you possess the qualifications."
That he had the skill to rightfully claim the name of Demorus.
Gowler had acknowledged it.
"Is that so?"
"But we've wasted too much time just to evaluate you."
Gowler slowly stepped back.
"You'll have to pay for putting us Judges through all this trouble."
"Ah, perfect then."
The moment I laid eyes on the Judges, I sensed it.
'Not yet.'
I couldn't afford a full-on clash with them just yet.
But I couldn't show fear either.
"Derun."
At my call, another figure emerged from the onlookers.
Amid the chaos, Derun had already gathered his men and hidden away.
"Those guys?"
After I left Borfeo, the Judges arrived.
And inflicted humiliation.
"Yes."
"Good. Step back."
Derun bowed his head and retreated at my words.
"You lot have a debt to pay too."
"…You intend to demand payment from Judges?"
"Aren't you people?"
Sein and Gowler.
The onlookers retreated from the auras we emitted.
Balak shot me a look asking if he should help, but I shook my head.
'Stay out of it.'
You're not ready for this yet.
"Sobian. Dande."
Gowler called his two subordinates as well.
"Sein Demorus seems unaware of what we Judges truly are."
The Judges weren't those who rose from the ranks.
They were selected by Demorus and raised within.
If necessary.
"Would you two care to teach Sein Demorus what we Judges represent?"
Even if it was a guild master under their umbrella.
Even if it bore Demorus's blood.
It was their duty to handle it.
In essence, Judges were fixers with the authority to judge.
"Of course."
"Just what I wanted!"
The moment Sein, Sobian, and Dande faced off.
"One move. That will suffice."
At Gowler's words.
Ching!
The three drew their weapons simultaneously.
Dande drew her sharply bladed claws.
Sobian drew twin swords of moderate length.
I drew.
"Excellent sword."
Bastion.
No signal was needed.
For experts of this caliber, the subtle twitch of muscle or the quiet stir of mana was signal enough.
"……?"
As the onlookers looked on in confusion.
Fwoooosh!
A sudden storm erupted.
"Eeek!"
The onlookers were blown back by the raging gale, and even the knights in full plate armor staggered.
The scene that emerged.
Drip, drip.
Was me, covered in wounds.
Clothes sliced so cleanly it was hard to tell when, wounds oozing blood from beneath.
"What, boss? That all you got?"
"Pathetic…"
Sobian and Dande, who had passed right by me.
They turned slowly with disappointed expressions, looking toward Gowler.
"……!"
Then shock bloomed on their faces.
"Boss…?"
Clearly, only Sein, Dande, and Sobian had drawn weapons.
Yet there stood Gowler in the distance, gripping his longsword.
His second blade, one he rarely drew except against worthy foes.
Tremble.
Gowler's famed sword, Gera, was quivering.
Even more astonishing.
"Boss…?"
Was the blood trickling down Gowler's cheek, grazed by the blade's edge.
"Sorry, but the boss takes responsibility."
My voice, smiling.
It had been like that from the start.
I hadn't even glanced at Dande or Sobian.
Only one.
"You bastard!"
"This punk!"
Just Gowler.
As Dande and Sobian lunged at me in fury at being ignored.
"Enough."
Fwoooosh!
Gowler's mana surged, his voice crushing everything.
Gowler, who had seemed lighthearted at first.
"I've seen enough of your skill."
Now speaking politely.
"Let's call this settling both our debts."
Bow.
Gowler lowered his head.
Sobian and Dande had no choice but to follow suit.
"Withdraw."
They could only obey Gowler's absolute command.
And only after they had fully vanished sometime later.
"…Fuck."
I spat a curse like a scream and collapsed.
*
*
*
Since leaving Chichiron, I hadn't rested once.
What might look like breaks to others were experiments and training sessions for me.
"Feels refreshing."
So that first collapse was, to me, true rest.
"You okay?"
Balak asked.
"Perfect. Refreshed."
I meant it.
Body and.
'Mind too.'
Much had been cleared up.
"I never dreamed the Judges would back off like that."
Balak said, genuinely amazed.
The Judges' notoriety was sky-high.
They were known as figures even family members feared, save the patriarchs themselves.
Such acknowledgment from Judges.
And respect.
Just that alone would elevate my reputation beyond compare.
"……."
But I focused more on the Judges themselves.
'Definitely…'
My first encounter with them.
'Unlike any others.'
They differed from everyone I'd known so far.
And they were.
'The true pillars of this world.'
The real power of the underworld.
"Whatever. I enjoyed my vacation properly."
Sein, Cecil, and Balak had already arrived at Rasiel.