Chapter 738: The Chime
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 738: The Chime
"As I thought, even Elizabeth’s Alchemy Domain can’t block a lock-on at the soul level?"
Flickering sparks of electricity danced amidst fine iron filings, swirling like the exquisite corona at the edge of a solar eclipse. They formed a layer of an Alchemy Domain around Muen, designed to isolate his presence and ward off most negative status effects.
This domain had been personally crafted by the Old Loli, and its effectiveness and practicality had been proven time and again in Muen’s previous battles.
However, ever since the memory of his soul being pierced by those chains surfaced, Muen instinctively felt that the Alchemy Domain would be useless against his opponent's tracking.
They weren't tracking his scent, nor were they using conventional magic; it was a direct lock-on to his soul.
It was a Rule.
A Rule powerful enough to bypass the properties of an Alchemy Domain.
"I just didn't expect..."
With a flick of his wrists, Muen expanded the Alchemy Domain, stretching it to completely cover Ariel behind him.
"That you lapdogs would arrive so quickly."
Clang!
Blades collided, the sound of metal on metal ringing out in a sharp, piercing hum.
The demon who had emerged from the shadows wore a look of utter disbelief. He hadn't expected to be exposed so soon. His stealth capabilities were among the best even within the ranks of the Skinners...
"You’re certainly good at hiding."
Muen spun around, the air vibrating with a Thunder Roar. An unimaginable amount of Stacked Force was instantly poured into what looked like an ordinary strike.
"But if you want to play the shadow-lurking game with me, you’re still too green."
"..."
The demon’s eyes widened. Only then did he notice a layer of distorted light and shadow surrounding Muen. He had been discovered the moment he approached because he had disturbed that distortion.
Magic?
That was strange. Didn't the intelligence reports say that the Campbell family of the Human Empire was just like the Demon Race—completely inept at magic?
Then how was Muen Campbell able to pull off something like this?
Fury flared in the demon's heart at being deceived by false intelligence spread by his own people, but that anger didn't last long...
Squelch.
He looked down blankly, seeing his boning knife easily sliced in two as if it were made of tofu. The pure white blade had already effortlessly pierced through his chest.
"How... cough... at such a close distance, in such a short time... how could you explode with such power?" The demon was in disbelief. He was an expert on the verge of reaching the Fifth-Tier; he should have been stronger than this human. Why was he defeated in a single exchange?
"Short?"
Muen withdrew his blade, the thunderous sound fading.
"It wasn't that short, was it? That was enough time for me to swing dozens of times. A man can be called fast, but he can never be called 'short.'"
"You..."
The demon died in silence, his body instantly engulfed by Black Flame, turning into fuel to sustain Muen’s movements.
"In the end, I still have to rely on you."
The Black Flame flickered like a mischievous sprite, dancing by Muen’s side.
"If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't even have the strength to stand anymore." A bitter smile touched Muen’s eyes.
After all, trading blows with someone at the level of the Grand Duke of Divine Will was no easy feat.
However, even though the Black Flame allowed him to hold on until now...
Drip.
The sound of blood hitting the ground was clear. Muen wiped his nose and, as expected, saw that familiar crimson stain.
The stinging pain in his mind had intensified. He had only used a tiny bit of the Black Flame, and now he didn't even dare to touch the Black Sun within his spiritual space.
Spiritual power wasn't like fighting spirit or mana; it couldn't be recovered easily. Without proper rest, it was like water without a source—every bit used was a bit gone forever.
But in this situation, rest was a luxury. His previous unconsciousness had only barely pulled his spiritual space back from the brink of collapse.
It didn't mean Muen had recovered. Although he looked much better than Ariel, his spiritual injuries were far more severe than any physical wound.
Zagu had guessed correctly. Muen’s spiritual space was currently like a vase held together by glue; a single breeze from an unknown direction could shatter it completely.
"So, is the guy who let these dogs off their leashes still not going to show himself?"
Muen looked up at the shadows in front of him.
Aside from the one who had just attempted the sneak attack, the shadows writhed, and nearly ten more Skinners slowly emerged from the darkness.
These Skinners were all dressed similarly—boning knives and cloaks. It seemed this was their badge of office, a status that even those within the Demon Race feared.
Beyond them, Muen spotted a black-robed demon standing further away. This demon looked out of place compared to the Skinners, but he seemed to be merely observing the battlefield with no intention of joining in.
"Including the one in black... nine in total."
Muen tapped his fingers on the hilt of his blade, calculating rapidly.
"That’s only about half of what Ariel faced. If I lose here, she’ll mock me for the rest of my life..."
Of course, he wouldn't lose.
"But these Skinners aren't the main problem. The important thing is... how to break the lock-on."
If he couldn't break the lock, it wouldn't matter how many pursuers he dealt with.
This was Gutons Fortress, the heart of the Demon Race's territory. No matter how many demons or pursuers he killed, they would just release more hounds.
Unless he could slaughter every single demon in Gutons Fortress. But if he could do that, why would he be running?
Wouldn't it be better to just dance on the Grand Duke of Divine Will's grave? Why would An have risked everything to help him escape?
Thinking of this, Muen’s gaze suddenly fell upon his wrist.
A thin line was wrapped around it.
It looked like it had been drawn with a pencil—faint and thin, blending perfectly with the edge of his sleeve. It was hard to notice unless one looked closely.
But with Muen’s eyesight, he could naturally see that it wasn't just a line... it was a chain.
A chain split off from that terrifying Ancient Artifact, the 【Eternal Cycle】.
From the moment he woke up, he had felt a faint warmth emanating from this chain, as if...
"Is it guiding me toward something?"
An wouldn't have gone through all that trouble just to leave him a decoration. Besides, using something like this as an accessory didn't fit An’s aesthetic at all.
It had to have a purpose; he just hadn't had the time to investigate it yet.
Time, time, time...
Despite being the man meticulously raised by the Old Loli to one day inherit the Temporal Authority, he was constantly racing against the clock.
"Anyway... let's start moving according to the plan."
Muen took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and softly called out those two words within his spiritual space.
Then.
He opened his eyes, swung his blade, and struck!
A brilliant flash of light from the blade instantly illuminated the dark tunnel!
Aside from the impatient demon who had tried the sneak attack earlier, the other Skinners hadn't made a move after surrounding Muen.
Time was on their side.
The one closest to Muen was a tall, hulking demon.
When he saw the flash of the blade, a ferocious expression crossed his face. His boning knife was larger and more jagged than the others. He gathered all his strength, intending to meet Muen’s strike head-on.
However...
His vision blurred.
Muen, who had been charging straight at him, suddenly vanished. It was so abrupt, as if a segment of a recorded film had been cut out. The tall demon had no time to react.
By the time Muen reappeared...
"Agh!"
A Skinner behind the tall demon let out a blood-curdling scream.
This Skinner had fast reflexes and had tried to dodge in advance. The pure white short blade had only pierced the side of his chest—an injury that wouldn't normally be fatal.
But at that moment, pitch-black flames surged along the blade, rapidly burrowing into his wound and devouring his flesh.
The Black Flame entered through the wound and leaped out from his eyes, nose, and mouth. The Skinner’s scream lasted less than a second before he and his body were completely consumed by the fire, reduced to nothingness.
"One."
Though he hadn't been awake to see it, perhaps by some coincidence, Muen began counting his kills just as Ariel had.
"Die!"
Seeing his comrade killed before his eyes, the tall demon roared in fury, swinging his massive boning knife down toward Muen’s back.
Muen didn't have time to dodge. He could only spin around and cross his twin blades to block the blow.
Boom!
Muen’s entire body buckled.
It felt as if he had been hit by a falling meteor; his internal energy was thrown into chaos for a moment.
It couldn't be helped. Since both his mind and body were far from their peak, he could only push his Time Dilation to fifty times.
Less than half of his full power.
Because of that, after securing an instant kill, he was forced to reveal an opening.
Fortunately... sometimes an opening could be exploited.
Sizzle.
The Black Flame flickered again, crawling along the point where the blades met and climbing toward the tall demon’s boning knife.
The tall demon’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately leaped back.
But Muen pressed forward, swinging his blades again and again and again.
The long-lost... Dagger Combat Technique!
The fierce flashes of the blades wove into a net. The massive demon struggled to deal with such a tempestuous assault. Fumbling to defend himself, several wounds were torn into his incredibly tough skin.
And then... the seductive black flowers bloomed once more within his wounds.
"AAAGH!!" The shriek was even more bone-chilling than the last.
"Two... so noisy."
As the tall demon was incinerated, his essence was converted into power for Muen to use. However, Muen suddenly stopped in his tracks, his body swaying unsteadily.
It wasn't just his nose anymore; blood began to seep from the corners of his eyes and his ears... The streaks of red painted a demonic mask across Muen’s face.
Muen slammed his foot into the ground, forcing his nearly unconscious mind back to clarity. He crossed his blades and slashed toward the direction of a sudden lethal threat.
He was slightly off.
He didn't completely block the flaming projectile piercing through the air. A spear imbued with anti-magic power grazed Muen’s shoulder, drawing blood.
But it was only a graze.
Muen touched his shoulder. The Magic Armor—cold on the outside but warm within—had absorbed most of the impact, preventing the strike from causing more serious damage.
That girl Ariel is actually quite thoughtful.
If only she used that thoughtfulness for something other than picking up girls...
"Finally... switching weapons?"
Muen’s gaze swept over the spear.
Ariel might not have recognized it, but Muen knew at a glance... this kind of Anti-Magic Spear was made using materials and techniques from the Human Empire.
"But strange... there are fewer than I expected. Were most of the magic materials used for something else?"
"Quick! Get back!"
Seeing that the sneak attack had failed again, one of the Skinners shouted with a pale face:
"It’s that strange black flame Lord Zagu mentioned! Stay back! Don't engage him in close combat!"
Thwip.
The Skinner’s eyes flew wide. He stared blankly at Muen, who had somehow closed the distance, plunging blade and flame... into his flesh.
"Three... do you think you can run?"
Muen coldly withdrew his short blade.
Under normal circumstances, his raw power might be slightly inferior to Ariel’s.
But in a situation where he didn't have to hide his methods and could use the Black Flame freely... he was far better at clearing out fodder than she was.
Muen knew that with his spiritual power nearly depleted, every time he used the Black Flame, it was like driving a nail into his brain. The pain was so intense that an ordinary person would have likely gone insane.
"Four... five... six..."
Under the dual assault of extreme speed and Black Flame, one Skinner after another became the fuel that powered Muen’s next strike.
Finally, the few remaining Skinners couldn't endure the terror of being consumed until not even ashes remained. They screamed toward the black-robed figure:
"Kanuyaza! How much longer is this going to take?!"
"I—I’m doing my best!"
"As I thought, this guy was plotting something in the shadows."
Muen snapped his gaze toward the black-robed man still hiding in the distance. It was too late to charge over, and the other Skinners were deliberately trying to tie him down. Therefore... with a surge of Thunder Roar, he hurled a pure white short blade infused with dozens of stacks of force.
The blade practically teleported through space. The black-robed man, who was sweating profusely while preparing something, didn't even have time to react before he was impaled.
He didn't even offer a struggle or an attempt to dodge.
However, almost at the same moment he was pierced, a twisted smile spread across the black-robed man’s lips.
"Heh... heh... too... too late."
His long sleeve fell back, revealing what he was holding... a bell?
Ting-ling.
The bell swayed.
The pleasant, crisp sound of the chime felt like a warm spring breeze brushing against Muen’s face.
A pure, holy light suddenly enveloped the entire world.
...
"This is..."
"What are you dazing off for, kid?"
A familiar voice startled Muen awake. At the same time, a broad hand slapped his shoulder, nearly making him stumble.
"Daydreaming at your own wedding? Can't you act like a proper member of the Campbell family for once!"
"Wedding?"
Muen blinked. He looked at his father standing beside him, dressed in formal attire and looking jubilant, and fell into a daze again.
He looked around. White pigeons took flight, flowers were scattered everywhere, and many familiar friends and acquaintances were clapping and smiling at him. Even the sun seemed a few degrees warmer. Everything was impossibly beautiful.
That’s right... today was his wedding...
"Father, I have an immature question. Is the person I'm about to marry Celicia, Senior Sister Anna, Liya, or An—"
"Why do you talk so much nonsense? Have you forgotten who your own wife is? Move it, move it! Don't waste time, the bride is waiting."
Under Lorne’s impatient urging, Muen walked into the Great Cathedral as the bells tolled.
Under the gaze of the Goddess and amidst the shimmering Holy Light, in the most beautiful place in the world, a young girl in a snow-white wedding dress stood holding flowers. Her face was veiled, and she smiled with bashful grace.
Muen stood before the girl.
The priest, holding a Holy Scripture, began a rhythmic, sonorous recitation.
Perhaps because the sunlight was too warm, or perhaps because his heartbeat was too loud, Muen didn't hear a single word of the priest’s overly long vows.
When the priest’s voice finally registered in his mind again, it had fast-forwarded to the most important step.
"Now... you may seal your vows with a kiss!"
Muen took a deep breath and gazed affectionately at the girl before him.
A profound love, sweet as honey, stirred continuously in his heart.
Fine. Regardless of whether the girl was Celicia, Anna, Liya, or An, since they had come this far, he would use everything he had to love her.
So, here goes.
Muen leaned in slightly.
And the girl finally, slowly, moved the flowers away from her face, revealing a countenance more beautiful and moving than any blossom.
In that moment.
It was as if time stood still, as if the world had ended.
Everything around them fell silent; even the sound of his heartbeat vanished.
Muen’s eyes slowly widened.
His cheek twitched.
His body, which had been leaning down, suddenly jerked back like a pendulum.
And then... an unbelievable cry of shock drowned out everything else.
"ARIEL?!!"