Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: So, Yeah - 4
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The massive monster rolling across the floor let out a piercing scream. As it slowly rose to its feet, scars etched across its grotesque body split open, revealing dozens of eyes.
This was where Cecil's spell came in...
"Ugh."
Oh, right. She's weak to stuff like that. She hesitated and couldn't cast her magic, but it was fine.
I'd dealt with troubles like this plenty of times before and had countermeasures ready.
"Veronica! Light Barrier!"
The moment I raised the Divine Mark, a wall of pure white light materialized. With Eurie's gaze blocked, Cecil snapped out of it and hoisted her staff high.
-Oooong!!
The white light gathered at the tip of her staff slammed into Eurie's massive body, erupting in intense flashes and explosions from all over its bulk.
Wow. As expected of Thousands of Virtues. It's ridiculously powerful.
While marveling at the top-tier spell from someone with archmage potential, I thrust out my Moonlight transformed into a spear.
-Shwaaack!!
Hundred Spear, a warrior skill.
It infused mana to multiply the number of thrusts. The damage wasn't great, but it was pretty useful for suppression.
Of course, I wasn't planning on just suppressing.
I was aiming for Eurie's eyes.
The eyes struck by my mana-forged spear burst open. Eurie's enormous head split apart, revealing a yellow eye within.
A sinister aura gathered in that eye.
The moment it all converged, it'd unleash a powerful area attack.
But I grinned.
In games, opportunities like this always came at the brink of crisis.
A prompt to input text would appear, and you'd have to type the right words. Here, shouting should do.
"Stop!! Eurie!!"
It flinched. Eurie's colossal body froze at my shout.
I couldn't miss this opening.
"The Holy Spirit descends upon me! The evil here shall kneel!!"
Light gathered in Veronica's mace. Holy light, the natural bane of demons.
Maybe it was because we'd been through so much together and synced up well? Veronica handled exactly what was needed without any further instructions.
-Kreeeegh!!
The holy light pierced its eye, sending Eurie's huge body tumbling across the floor.
"Thousands of Virtues!!"
Cecil, having finished her spell prep, jumped in. A soft starlight gleamed at her staff's tip.
She hurled it straight at Eurie.
-Kweeeeeek!!
With a horrific scream, Eurie writhed on the blood-soaked floor, howling in agony.
Thousands of Virtues.
One of those spells whose power varied by the caster's alignment. Perfect for schooling demons or evil-aligned characters, and it worked beautifully on Eurie.
Now that she'd learned Thousands of Virtues, she'd have to master Thousands of Evils next...
That'd be a pain.
"Hyunwoo!"
"I saw it!"
I locked eyes with the yellow orb as Eurie roared in pain. Dark energy began gathering in it at the same time.
Desperate last stand, huh.
"I've got you read!! Eurie!!"
-Kieeek!!
Concentrated fire on the once-again stiffened Eurie.
It barely managed to rise amid the barrage from Veronica, Cecil, and me, screeching all the while.
It bristled scales that could melt into shadows, trying to hide.
"Evil cannot flee before the divine!!"
-Chaarrlk!!
Chains of light sliced through the darkness, binding Eurie's body.
One of my go-to game strategies.
It skipped the phase where Eurie melted into shadows to recover health and launch illusion attacks.
In that brief moment while it thrashed uselessly against the chains...
We had to pour on as much damage as possible.
"Cecil!!"
And we had the perfect mage for unloading that barrage.
How long did we fight?
Eventually, it couldn't withstand the onslaught and collapsed.
"Not over yet, so stay sharp and stick to the plan."
As if to prove this event boss naturally had a second phase, Eurie's massive body twitched.
Something was crawling out of its enormous maw—the one that had revealed the yellow eye earlier.
A woman with jet-black hair, brown skin, and two bat wings.
She emerged wrapped in sticky fluid, her body curves on full display in skimpy black leather that was barely clothing. She slowly raised her head.
Red eyes.
She, with eyes brimming with all manner of malice, was...
The Illusion Demon. Eurie.
"Ufufufu... Thanks to you, I escaped the prison the dragon left me in..."
Her voice was sweet. Enough to tempt any listener. Eurie spread her damp wings and flashed a seductive smile.
"And for that... I'll give you a gift. Don't you want an endless... blissful, happy daily life?"
A scar formed on Eurie's forehead, birthing a third eye.
The yellow eye from the monster's maw earlier.
The moment it gleamed, imposing illusions on the beholder...
I smirked and activated my skill.
"What're you babbling about? You whore."
"...Whore?!"
"Whore fits. You show illusions, devour desires, bask in pleasure. How's that any different?"
"Hah. Fine, I am a whore. But..."
"You can't forgive being called one? Haha. 'Can't forgive'..."
Deprived of her lines, Eurie gnashed her teeth, glaring murderously.
I pointed Moonlight at her.
"Try me."
My warrior skill 'Taunt' locked her aggro on me. Unlike before, black energy began corrupting the surroundings.
And what emerged was...
Hah. Touching something she shouldn't again.
I sighed at the sight of my house unfolding before me.
Veronica and Cecil lounged in the spacious living room.
Sprawled comfortably, munching snacks while giggling at Netflix.
While I slaved away, my ideal life—my party members kicking back and enjoying it—meant to provoke me into attacking them?
"Nice couch you've got~"
"TV's killer too? Whoa~!"
Mocking me, the two beauties acted all trashy, spilling potato chip crumbs on the couch and floor.
Empty beer cans littered the table, mess and filth everywhere.
Shed clothes, underwear, stockings scattered about. Half-eaten chicken on the table.
Hah. Pathetic.
Too pathetic.
"Not even funny! Die!!"
I slammed my raised greatsword into the living room floor.
Into the pricey marble tiles.
-Clang!!
Glass shattered, and the illusion broke.
"You... how..."
My house vanished, along with the smirking Veronica and Cecil who'd taken it over.
Only a stunned Eurie remained.
I advanced on her in bewilderment.
"N-No, again!! Again!!"
Illusions manifested once more.
Again.
Again.
But petty illusions like these couldn't stop me.
I shattered them one after another, closing in. Eurie finally slumped to the floor, staring up blankly.
"You... what are you?"
Her voice trembled as I swung Moonlight.
"Aaagh!!"
She recoiled, screaming from the single blow.
She lunged with claw-like nails, but it was pointless.
In Eurie's phase 2, the real danger was only the mental attacks—not these physical ones.
And the counter for mental attacks was going smoothly.
I parried her furious charge with my greatsword, then mocked her snarling face.
Now all her aggro was mine.
"Hey. Your wings look weird."
"You son of a BITCH!! I'll see how long you last against my illusions!!"
"Know what happens when a sword turns serious?"
"What?"
"It turns black. Pffft! Get it?"
"Uwaaaah!!!"
"Hehe~"
"No clue, but it pisses me off!"
Key to Eurie phase 2 was pulling aggro right.
Difficulty plummeted once you did.
While I taunted, shattered her mental assaults, and counterattacked on repeat, Veronica and Cecil just waited for openings.
How many hits did she take?
When Eurie was too ragged for more mental attacks, I finally shouted.
"Veronica!!"
Veronica, who'd been charging holy power, charged in mace-first.
Despair filled Eurie's eyes at the sight.
"Kept you waiting?"
"Eek..."
She tried a desperate mental attack on Veronica, but she'd poured too much into me—her mental energy depleted, she couldn't land a proper hit. I just grinned at her.
"Time to smash you."
***
Eurie staggered back from Hyunwoo's strike, clearly taking heavy damage.
Still, no moving yet.
Not yet.
Even as Hyunwoo dominated Eurie, unease lingered.
That thing ahead was a demon.
Mental attacks were its focus, sure, but regular attacks couldn't be ignored.
What if Hyunwoo failed to block or dodge one?
No matter how amazing, he was still human—swords cut him too.
Shouldn't she at least cast a protective barrier?
Veronica barely suppressed her fidgeting body.
Unconsciously, her eyes flicked to Cecil beside her.
Cecil was the same.
Fingers twitching on her staff, barely holding back the urge to support.
So Veronica summoned superhuman patience.
All of Eurie's aggro was pinned on Hyunwoo.
If they jumped in now and drew it...
'Tch...'
It'd ruin his plan.
She clicked her tongue inwardly and gripped her mace tight.
She wanted to help him so badly.
But not yet.
Veronica endured the temptations, watching only him.
"Veronica!!"
His single shout shattered her tension.
"Yeah!!"
His voice filled her with joy.
His call sparked euphoria.
Grinning, she charged—only to lock eyes with Cecil.
Seeing her bite her lip, staring, Veronica infused her mace with holy power and smiled even wider.
He called me first.
Drunk on superiority.
***
Cecil's gut twisted a bit that the Wise One called Veronica first.
Logically, she got it.
Cardinal Veronica had long synced with him, and against demons, nothing beat holy power.
So yeah, she'd hit Demon Eurie hardest.
But.
But she had Thousands of Virtues too?
So why call Veronica first?
Cecil bit her lip, watching Veronica dash ahead.
A woman with enviable curves, stunning beauty.
Irresistible to any man. Church cardinal—no, she'd toppled the former pope, becoming the real head with power beyond any cardinal.
And she had the freedom to roam like that. Veronica had everything Cecil lacked.
'Can't you yield just a little?'
Grumbling silently, Cecil gripped her staff tight.
Then Veronica's holy power slammed into Eurie.
"Kwaaaagh!!"
Screaming horrifically, Eurie flapped her wings, trying to flee airborne.
As Cecil watched, biting her lip again...
"Cecil! Fire!!"
The call she'd waited for.
Like a dog hearing its master, Cecil felt glee.
'...Hmph.'
Calling now, huh.
Well, he does trust me?
She didn't adore him like Veronica or the others, but his summons still lifted her spirits.
Hiding a smile, she spotted Veronica—still looking ready for more—biting her lip hard.
It felt even better.
So, to rub it in on the one regretting not landing the finishing blow...
"Thousands of Virtues!!"
Cecil poured all her mana into unleashing Thousands of Virtues. Eurie's body wrapped in the beam, dissolving away.
It's over.
She finished it.
Cecil glanced at Veronica again.
Meeting her blank stare, Cecil mirrored the smile she'd given earlier.
You started, but I claimed the end.
Superiority and all.