Chapter 763: A Heaven-Defying Request
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 763: A Heaven-Defying Request
"Now, what will the two of you do?"
Zagu stepped out from the dust and smoke, one pace at a time.
He didn't intentionally project his aura, yet every footfall felt as though it were treading directly upon the hearts of Muen and Ariel.
This was a top-tier powerhouse.
Though he couldn't use magic, his cultivation as a martial artist was a genuine Peak Fifth-Tier, only a single step away from the Crown Bearer realm of a Demon Grand Duke.
He was more than an entire major rank above both Ariel and Muen.
And it wasn't just his realm. As the First Demon General of the Demon Race, Zagu had survived countless internal power struggles and led numerous offensives against human armies. The various abilities he had forged through these experiences were among the elite of the elite.
He was no "inflated" expert who was all rank and no substance.
It was no exaggeration to say that even at their peak, and without resorting to certain "out-of-specification" methods, the chances of either Muen or Ariel defeating him one-on-one were incredibly slim.
To say nothing of their current state.
Even so, Zagu had consistently chosen the most prudent approach.
Driving the Hounds.
The encirclement.
The bleeding.
The tearing and biting.
Like a Modo Monitor Lizard in a swamp, he leisurely trailed his poisoned prey, waiting for the moment they would collapse on their own.
Although the urgings of Divine Will had prevented this leisurely hunt from reaching its final stage, he had still waited until his prey could no longer use even their sharpest fangs before finally appearing before them.
Even the idle chatter just now was merely a final confirmation of his prey's condition. Up until the very last moment, he had not completely let down his guard.
He was cautious to an infuriating degree.
After all, a veteran hunter takes control of everything from the very beginning, and Zagu was the most outstanding and experienced hunter in the entire Demon Race.
Therefore, the ending... had been decided the moment he began the pursuit.
The smile beneath Zagu's faceplate was naturally calm and composed. He did not believe that at this stage, these two little human mice had any cards left to turn the tables.
"What are you acting so smug for?"
Muen suddenly let out a cold, disdainful laugh. "Do you really think that was our only trump card?"
"What?"
Zagu narrowed his eyes.
Could this fellow have something else besides that strange Black Flame...
"You're looking down on me way too much." Muen's lips curled into a smirk.
The Black Flame was indeed his right-hand man when facing powerful enemies, and it had played an unimaginable role in his battles so far.
But when it came to his greatest trump card, for Muen Campbell, it was—as expected—
Black Book, save me!
Muen screamed in his heart without hesitation.
No matter how dire the situation, Black-a-mon would always have a way, right?!
"..."
Right?!
"..."
Right?!
"..."
Ri—Dammit, I knew you were unreliable!
Feeling the absolute silence in the depths of his spiritual space, the heroic ambition that had just risen in Muen's heart turned into a river of grief and indignation.
The Black Book was great in every way. The only problem was that it was like a high-tier player stringing along a "nice guy"—the probability of it replying was never a hundred percent; in fact, it was pitifully low.
Or rather, it seemed it wouldn't take any initiative until he was one hundred percent dead.
Pah, you slut! Can't you be a bit more proactive before I kick the bucket?
It seemed that side was a dead end. In that case...
"What are you looking at me for?"
Ariel wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and rolled her eyes at Muen's gaze. "Don't look. I really can't use that move again for a while."
"No... I think you must have some other ultimate move you haven't brought out yet."
Like some beautiful girl or old grandpa hidden in a ring.
Or an Ancient Artifact that could crush Zagu in an instant.
Or maybe you've formed a bond with some incredible existence that will travel thousands of miles to save you in a crisis...
Anyway, just bring it out already!
"..."
All Ariel brought out was an even deeper eye-roll.
"Stop staring at me, it's disgusting!"
Fine, it seemed her "beautiful old grandpa" in the ring was still asleep, and as for other things, nothing seemed useful here.
Then again, if she really had those things, she wouldn't have been pushed into such a pathetic state earlier.
"It looks like there really are no other options."
Muen let out a long sigh, patted the dust off his knees, and slowly stood up.
Zagu's single strike had already inflicted significant damage on his body, but fortunately, he could still stand. He could still... grip his blade.
"Pah."
Beside him, Ariel spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm with zero ladylike grace. Leaning on her greatsword, she shakily straightened her back.
"So it was just a bluff."
After confirming once more that the two humans before him were truly at their wit's end and could no longer pull out any trump cards capable of threatening him, the caution in Zagu's eyes turned back into the composure of one who holds all the cards.
"What? Still going to struggle? If you give up your resistance now, as a mark of respect, I might grant you the right to choose how you die."
"Oh?"
Muen raised an eyebrow, seemingly very interested in the proposal. "You mean, I can die however I want?"
"..."
Zagu, who had only said it in passing, was stunned for a moment before smiling. "Of course. I can manage that small request."
"Hey, you bastard." Ariel glanced at Muen, her expression full of contempt.
But Muen acted as if he hadn't seen her. With an expectant smile, he said:
"Then I want that old bastard Divine Will to turn into a beautiful girl, kneel down, and give me a blowjob until I die from pure bliss. How about that?"
"Eh?"
For a moment, Zagu was dazed. Although Muen Campbell had said "turn into a beautiful girl," his mind couldn't help but conjure the wrinkled old face of Grand Duke Divine Will.
This...
Muen Campbell truly deserved to be the man Divine Will ordered dead at all costs. He could even accept that?
Wait.
Could the reason he was being hunted by Lord Divine Will be because...
Zagu, who was prone to overthinking, immediately began a mental brainstorm, imagining several "vivid" scenarios of emotional and physical entanglement...
"Heh, since you can't do it, you shouldn't make promises."
Muen chuckled.
Now.
The "innocent" Zagu had still underestimated the "heaven-defying" nature of humans, as well as the power of their trash-talking. Thus, when Muen made that "request," the vigilance Zagu had maintained until then... slackened for a split second.
The moment the words faded into the air, Muen vanished from his spot.
Time Dilation.
Maximum power!
The mana throughout his body surged frantically. The heat from the Alchemy Core's operation nearly scorched Muen's back, and the terrifying load from the acceleration continuously ravaged his already weakened body.
But he couldn't care less. Facing an enemy like Zagu, if he held back even slightly, he could die under that spear at any moment.
Thus, the already short distance between the two was closed in an instant.
Elizabeth, pure as jade, traced a magnificent lunar arc through the air.
"So... you haven't given up after all?"
The shock lasted only a fraction of a second.
Zagu's reaction speed was much faster than Muen had anticipated.
Even though Muen's speed was so great that not even an afterimage could be seen, Zagu's crimson pupils shifted, his gaze immediately locking onto the position in front of him where Muen would appear.
The spear hummed!
A hideous shadow, like a demon's fang, rose to meet that flawless lunar arc.
The desecrating colors tore through the sacred light. In an instant, the lunar arc was shattered.
"Wait..."
Zagu murmured in surprise.
The lunar arc had been crushed too quickly—so quickly that he hadn't felt any substantial feedback.
What was Muen Campbell trying to do? Was he trying to ram his face into the spear with such a weak strike?
Or was he playing the same illusion trick as before?
Of course... it was neither.
Muen didn't think the same trick would fool Zagu twice, and an Illumination Spell would be useless at such close range. Therefore, he had appeared before Zagu in the flesh, seemingly about to collide head-on with that hideous spear.
However, at that exact moment, his figure flickered and vanished again.
"Shadow Step."
The long-unused martial technique was deployed once more.
No.
It shouldn't be called "once more."
As his proficiency had increased, this move had long since been integrated into Muen's repertoire, requiring no special effort to execute.
But this time, Muen consciously enhanced the characteristics of the technique.
This was an extension of the skill's usage after achieving mastery and even strengthening the martial technique.
However, the extension wasn't a rapid flicker, but... a change in direction.
The faster one moves, the harder it is to control one's actions. But this skill, which Muen had learned in his early days, allowed him—through precise control of the force erupting from different directions under his feet—to achieve a near-right-angle turn while moving at the high speeds of Time Dilation.
Therefore, even at that explosive, high speed, he was no longer just fast.
He was agile.
Zagu's pupils shrank. He whipped his head around, his gaze catching Muen as he brushed past him after two forced turns.
Is he trying to...
"Run?"
I see.
Zagu realized.
Even after relying on each other all this way, when faced with the threat of true death, he still chose to abandon his companion and flee alone?
Heh, pathetic humans.
As expected of a race with such inherent flaws, they could only ever—
"Hey, what are you spacing out for?"
Suddenly, a terrifying heat made Zagu's Magic Armor feel scalding in an instant.
But Zagu had no time to worry about the heat, for a blinding light cast endless shadows as a crimson-gold greatsword, like the Day of Judgment, came crushing down with overwhelming force.
Its speed was incredible, only a step slower than Muen Campbell.
"Human!"
He had intended to temporarily ignore the human female to pursue Muen Campbell, his primary target, but Zagu, knowing he could no longer do so, felt the veins on his forehead throb. He was forced to turn and meet the attack once again.
The power of this strike was terrifying; even he could not ignore it.
But he was still confused.
"Why? He has already abandoned you. Are you still willing to throw your life away to buy him time?"
Is this what humans call... love?
"Who cares about him, you idiot."
Looking into Ariel's extremely calm eyes, Zagu was stunned once more.
There was no resolve to sacrifice herself for another in that gaze, nor did she look like a fool blinded by human romance.
There was only calmness in those deep, dark eyes.
A calmness that suggested she had already anticipated what would happen next.
And in the next moment...
Zagu realized he had likely made another wrong decision.
Because the seemingly terrifying flames of judgment were, in reality... nothing but a hollow shell.
The crimson flames swept over him, and aside from singeing a few strands of his hair, they were useless.
The real attack was not here.