Demon King (3)
Elle had said that saving the Heavenly Demon would mean losing a precious opportunity.
That was when Yun-seok felt a doubt arise.
Was she truly someone he could trust?
—If doubts arise, try accepting the trial of the 14th-floor mission.
The spark of suspicion that had ignited within him. To resolve it, he'd torn up the mission directive as per Kanna's advice from the past.
The result? He'd learned more about Elle's past than before, but the biggest question remained unanswered.
Why had Elle chosen him as her contractor, giving him everything she could?
Simply because he resembled Rick?
Well, maybe that was it.
But those words she'd said nagged at him.
—...Because it's you. Because I've been waiting for you.
What had she meant by that?
The clues jumbled in his mind refused to sort themselves out easily.
So Yun-seok asked.
Do you know of the Tower of Heaven?
If Rick was connected to it somehow, the faint outline that seemed just out of reach might sharpen into clarity.
But...
"I don't know why you're asking with such tension, but... the Tower of Heaven? Never heard of it."
Rick shook his head.
Even without the Executioner's Eye, Yun-seok could tell the answer wasn't a lie.
Swallowing a sigh of disappointment behind Rick's apologetic expression, Yun-seok let out a quiet groan.
...Not connected to the Tower either?
Rick Gersey.
What was this man's true identity?
Why did he look exactly like Yun-seok?
And the name Yun-seok had used in that past mission—was that really just coincidence?
Chewing his lip, Yun-seok let out a deep sigh.
There's still plenty of time left. No need to get impatient.
Some things only grew more elusive the harder you stared.
For now, Yun-seok decided to leave it at that and hear out the method Rick had mentioned for saving Elle.
The method was surprisingly simple.
"The problem is the vacancy in the expanded vessel. Fill it, and everything resolves."
Infuse divinity into the empty space.
In other words, complete the interrupted ritual once more.
Kanna interjected with disbelief.
"I heard the ritual requires a heretic shaman. You're not thinking of handing this child over to them to save her life, are you?"
Rick shook his head and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a strange branded mark over his heart.
"It's a sacrificial seal they left on me during my captivity."
With this, he said, they could infuse divinity into Elle's body without outsiders.
Normally, the ritual demanded around a thousand sacrifices, but...
"The soul of a branded sacrifice deepens over time. And it's been years since then."
Kanna voiced her skepticism at Rick's explanation.
"Just because years have passed makes it possible? Then why don't the heretics use that method?"
"Because most die within a week of branding."
Malnutrition, acute shock, cerebral hemorrhage, heart failure... The causes varied, but if given freedom of action, suicide would top every list, Rick said.
"Three times a day, pain like your soul being devoured hits. You start thinking—wouldn't it be easier to just die?"
After the branding, even Rick had felt that way. Suicidal impulses multiple times a day.
But he'd endured for one goal, desperately clinging on until now.
Forcing down food he could barely swallow, learning to protect his heart and vessels with mana amid organ-searing agony.
"Perhaps I endured that pain precisely for this day. I'll be the sacrifice. Save Elle with it."
Rick even looked relieved.
After hesitating several times, Yun-seok couldn't hold back the question.
"Why... go that far?"
"I figured you wouldn't understand."
There was no blame in his tone. A faint smile even played on his lips.
"I realized it when she saved me. Protecting her, living solely for her—that's my duty, my reason to live."
Not a trace of doubt emanated from him.
* * *
"Elle asked me to save you."
After some deliberation, Yun-seok mentioned her final desperate plea.
But it didn't sway Rick's resolve in the slightest.
"So the shamaness can see the future after all. Even if Elle wakes, don't tell her."
Then, claiming the pain was coming soon and he didn't want anyone to see, Rick left the tent.
"What now? You can stay here if you like. Or I can prepare a separate place."
Yun-seok chose the latter, and Kanna nodded bitterly, as if she'd expected it.
After moving Elle to the new tent Kanna provided and laying her down, Yun-seok quietly reviewed the day's events in his mind.
No visitors came, and as time passed, night fell.
That was when Rick returned.
Ssslruk.
Whatever strange ability he'd learned, he emerged from the shadow beneath the bed.
"Don't be startled—it's me."
Yun-seok felt only mild curiosity. Knowing his identity, there was no real surprise.
"What brings you here in the dead of night?"
"It's dangerous here. Prepare to leave at once."
Such a sudden demand was hard to swallow.
Sensing that, Rick quickly elaborated in a hushed voice.
"No time for details. Kanna Blitz—that woman's dangerous. Trying to save the heretic shamaness Elle? She won't stand for it. She'll pull some trick."
"...Then why mention it earlier?"
"I thought we had a few days. Tonight seemed safe."
Yun-seok understood perfectly.
Just that afternoon, Kanna had been hell-bent on killing Elle.
But there was one thing Rick didn't know.
"People change."
Rick didn't deny it.
He just countered.
"True, people change. But not that easily. Can decades of festering hatred vanish in half a day?"
"......"
"Besides, she's the Trinity Church's saintess. Even without personal grudge, she has every reason to kill Elle."
Yun-seok was about to retort when he bit his lip.
Hostility from countless presences outside began to seep in.
They couldn't be heretics. This was the heart of Trinity Church territory.
A beat later, Rick sensed it too.
"...Damn, too late. I didn't think she'd act this fast. My mistake thinking today was safe. I'll clear the path ahead—carry Elle and follow."
Rick drew his sword with resolute eyes.
Yun-seok respected his spirit.
But that was separate from this.
"No. You'll follow me."
No need to separately entrust Elle to him either.
Sruk.
Silently drawing the two swords at his waist, Yun-seok used Heaven Breaking Divine Art qi to levitate Elle's body, sticking it firmly to his back.
"I won't let you die here, but just in case—keep up."
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Yun-seok swept aside the tent flap and stepped out.
Soldiers gripping weapons stretched endlessly in every direction.
He'd known it, but his mouth still tasted bitter.
No wonder she gave us a tent smack in the center.
Yun-seok had seen it.
Her future self as a manager.
The pure days when she'd sacrifice herself for loved ones.
Maybe that's why he'd believed Kanna could change with the right trigger.
But in the end, Rick was right.
People don't change.
At least not in a day.
"I don't want to kill you. Hand over the child."
Amid the vast forces, Kanna at the forefront said this to Yun-seok.
If he willed it, he could shatter her head in an instant—but he didn't.
Pointless anyway.
It was just a magic illusion.
"If you're going to say that, why not come yourself?"
"...So you'll choose punishment after all."
Hard to say yes.
If anyone here held a poisoned chalice, it wasn't him.
Yun-seok gave one last chance.
"Many will die. No second thoughts? You know she's innocent."
"Maybe she is, as you say. But she must die. If she falls into their hands, far more will perish."
Kanna invoked the greater good from her saintess position.
It might've been better if she'd bared raw, ugly sincerity.
"Do you hate her that much?"
"......"
Kanna didn't answer.
Instead, she closed her eyes, clasped her hands, and prayed.
Lines spiderwebbed from her feet across the ground, emitting blinding white radiance.
All stats reduced by 2 ranks.
Holy attribute attacks deal 40x damage, with added non-regenerable effect.
Yun-seok tried using Shaman's Law under the sanctuary nullification condition, but...
It couldn't cover the whole area.
At best, a 50-meter radius.
Beyond that, mana consumption spiked exponentially, hindering combat.
Better not use it.
Yun-seok canceled Shaman's Law.
If it didn't blanket everything, it was useless.
In a straight dash like this, 50 meters meant little.
But unexpected aid came from elsewhere.
The body adapts to the new environment.
All terrain penalties reduced by 50%.
No materials worth synthesizing, so he'd kept the skill Environmental Adaptation.
Thanks to it, penalties halved.
Still dangerous, though.
Perfect counter skill.
Stat drops didn't matter much.
But already vulnerable to holy due to Immortality, now multiplied dozens-fold... Plus no regeneration.
Even I could be in trouble if hit wrong...
Yun-seok heightened his tension slightly.
Not fear, though.
Dangerous if hit, sure.
But that meant no problem if he avoided hits.
Just means no room for sloppiness.
Not just him.
He had to protect Elle, another life on his back, and save Rick, her sole savior.
With allies around, no wide-area nukes like Judgment of the Destruction Lord.
Yun-seok glanced skyward subtly.
Thousands of holy knights hovered on white wings, watching.
Better to punch through the ground.
"Heading west—get ready."
Decision made, he whispered to Rick alone.
Before Rick could respond.
Gray sword qi cloaked his dual blades as he thrust into the air.
Whiiiir!
Gray qi swirled, scattering radiant lights, shooting straight ahead.
And...
Shaa aaaa!
Everything in its path vanished.
Overwhelming power defying human limits.
Silence fell over the tens of thousands.
One sword stroke left all dumbfounded.
Good for Yun-seok, but Rick was equally stunned.
"Wh-who the hell are you?"
"Questions later—let's go."
Yun-seok dashed first through the parted path like Moses' miracle; Rick snapped to and followed.
Impressed he'd single-handedly saved Elle from heretics before, Yun-seok figured keeping up was feasible.
"Block them!"
Not long before the straight path refilled with soldiers.
Swords, axes, arrows, magic, holy spells... Everything lethal flew at him.
Hundreds per second, by count.
Yet Yun-seok assessed every attack amid chaos, blocking only threats, relentlessly carving ahead.
No sloppiness, as said.
He unleashed his hand generously.
Seventeen swords in use. Demonic qi on the blades intensifies further.
Not just the usual King of Ten Thousand Swords effect.
Gray swords floating danced.
Fine in 1v1 with Heavenly Demon-level foes, but devastatingly efficient here.
"D-devil...!"
"Don't run! Will you defile God's name?!"
Some lost will to fight; others burned fiercer.
Yun-seok killed any blocking his path, no distinction.
Shaa aaaa!
Heavenly Demon Overlord.
Tidal wave from sword tips swept the battlefield.
Sgak sgak sgak!
Time Shadow Severance.
Dozens of heads flew from air-slashed swords.
Sky knights held back, wary of his escape, but their numbers visibly thinned.
"Not human... no..."
Innumerable corpses piled along his path.
Semitransparent orbs rose from them, absorbed into Yun-seok.
Srururuk!
A-rank effect of Predation: harvested souls.
No one grasped its meaning.
Not even owner Yun-seok.
But comprehension and fear were unrelated.
Witnessing fate-defying spectacle, they trembled instinctively.
"Damn it! Don't let him escape!"
Finally, Yun-seok broke through to the plain.
Encircling formation broken.
Pursuers knew such setups were futile, no longer charging desperately.
Racing across the plain, Yun-seok halted at the center.
Rick shouted.
"Why stop?!"
Simple reason.
Tower rules barred him from mountains or plains' edge.
Center allowed freer movement.
Rick, unaware, nearly yelled in confusion before staring blankly skyward.
"Damn..."
Trinity forces advancing on the plain? Or legions to reclaim Elle after pinpointing her?
Unclear, but hundreds of meteors rained from the ink-black night sky.
Whiiiii!
Kwa kwa kwang!
Not just Trinity troops...
The heretics' demon legion had arrived too.