ocean-life Chapter 83: Demon Archduke Rakshar (4)
Chapter 83: Demon Archduke Rakshar (4)
Chapter 83: Demon Archduke Rakshar (4)
In the middle of the ocean, a pillar of fire rises.
It is a great flame that will surely burn anything.
Its energy is absolute, like the compressed explosive power of a nuclear weapon. Not even a Demon Archduke could survive that pillar of fire.
-Observation. Logic circuit error. Impossible.
At Leon’s denial, Yappy tried again to observe, and saw a creature moving within the steaming pillar of fire that was evaporating the pouring seawater in real time.
Demon Dink Rakshar was still alive.
Is there anything in this universe that can survive a direct hit of that kind of energy?
“Lord Spinner. What’s the status of the evacuation?”
Leon landed on Yappy, who was overseeing the evacuation. Leon and Stallion don’t say much, but their exhaustion is palpable.
-80% progress. Major supplies, records secured.
“A little short.”
-No. They’ll hold on.
Yappy’s gaze turns to Rakshar, trapped in the pillar of fire. Or, more accurately, the three giant guardians surrounding him, pincers raised, keeping a watchful eye on Rakshar.
“Have they made up their minds?”
-Have been sleeping for this moment for 500 years. Analyzing the language system. Prosperity to Kikiruks.
“Is that their name?”
Leon held out his hand to Yappy, grateful for their sacrifice.
“The gates are closing now. Let us retreat.”
Yappy climbs onto Leon’s forearm and boards Stallion, then Stallion flaps its wings and takes to the sky.
As they head for the gate, Rakshar calls out.
[Lionheart...! Fleeing is not a virtue of knights!]
As he burns in real time in a pillar of fire, his eyes remain fixed on Leon as he engages in hand-to-hand combat with the three giant Kikiruks.
Leon sneers.
“I would not honor the code of knighthood against such a lowly creature as you. Green beasts and abominations are not worthy of respect.”
With those words, Leon sprinted toward the disappearing gate.
[Lionheart────!!]
[Gate closed]
* * * *
After the East Sea Gate was cleared, the world was abuzz for a while.
The first Demon Archduke was discovered. It was huge news for humanity, who had suffered terrible losses even against Archdemons until now.
Even S-class Hunters couldn’t stand up to its mind pollution.
Naturally, the world began to place large orders for Mind Defense items, but it was a meaningless waste of money.
The news was not all bad, however.
There were some beings whose minds remained untainted by the Demon Archduke’s terrifying aura.
The first was Han Ha-ri, a priestess of Poma, the god of the sea and waves.
The second was Yakt Spinner, the first Holy Knight of the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods.
And finally, there was Leon, who not only resisted, but went toe-to-toe with the Demon Archduke.
-Wow, what the fuck is that?
-Was there ever a demon that big? Can we beat that thing?
-Look at that. Flying around on a pegasus. They were almost evenly matched in hand-to-hand combat.
-What’s with that crazy pillar of fire? Han Ha-ri’s flames in the waves didn’t even make sense, but that thing just pierced the sky.
-The Otherworldly Lion King. Have you seen his Trait, The Greatest Demon Slayer? I mean, there’s no one in all the dimensions who’s slain more demons than that guy.
-Is that a human?
-Demigod.
Yappy’s footage of the Battle of the East Sea Gate was broadcast to the world via the guild YouTube channel.
People don’t despair easily. They somehow find hope in the midst of despair.
Leon was a symbol of that hope, and naturally, people began to learn more about TTG Guild and join.
The Maverick Guild’s S-ranked Hunter Allen and Minuteman, as well as other core A-ranked raiders, took it upon themselves to proselytize for the TTG Guild.
And.
“Uh, well, then... I hereby declare the district of Mokpo Special Autonomous Region of the Kikiruks as of today.”
-Giggle!
President Ahn Dong-gil smiled awkwardly and shook hands with the giant clawed creature.
The second issue was the mass migration of the Kikiruks. The relocation of the world’s largest group of 10,000 survivors required a huge administrative process and political decision that required the president himself.
“Thank you, President Ahn.”
[Hmph~]
His wounds were too deep to act immediately.
Rakshar realizes that he needs to recover first, as it will be some time before the other ‘Great Demons’ gather.
Until then, he’ll have to recover from the abundance of food.
[Obedience──]
At that moment, the three million citizens of Pyongyang heard the voice.
* * * * *
When the TTG Guild building was constructed, it was not designed with underground space in mind.
It was basically built as a rice warehouse on a rural site and expanded as needed.
However, when the otherworldly magician queen took up residence here, the building was transformed.
For example, she can take a space the size of a single room and expand it to the size of a soccer field with her space-expanding magic, warping space to create a subspace that no one but the magician could enter.
Modern wizards would have screamed at the top of their lungs about the ridiculousness of it all, but to a magician queen at the height of her powers, it was no big deal. And──
In the subspace beneath the TTG Guild that was decorated to look like an underground, a beautiful woman stood bound from head to toe.
No, more precisely, she is ‘not’ moving as if she is chained herself because she’s been told to.
Despite the damp environment that makes prisoners uneasy, the direction of the space that makes even the smallest sound echo, and the created dreariness, the woman was shivering a little.
And in such a dreary space, she creepily hears a new sound.
Again, again, again... A clear, crisp voice was approaching the inmate, Hilde.
“How are you today? It’s been a bit noisy outside lately, it seems we’ve got some new neighbors.”
“Uh...uh...uh!”
Hildir is not wearing any restraints and naturally, her lips were also unrestrained.
But all she can manage is a choked voice. There is only one reason for this is that a demonic charm has taken a firm hold on her, a magical presence that could corrupt even the oldest shaman in the service of a beast god.
Beatrice, Queen of the Lost, with nothing but rage and vengeance in her heart, smiled bewitchingly at Hildir.
“Hic...!”
Just seeing that smile in her eyes was enough to make Hildir lose her mind.
How could such a deadly aura emanate from a human being?
An overwhelming need to give him everything she had, just to hear her voice, to see her face beneath the cotton cloth.
Beatrice had a natural talent for mesmerizing even those of her own sex. The magician queen of Spero utilized her talents to corrupt the shaman of the beast gods.
“I remember when I used to fight demons, it was pretty simple back then. It wasn’t really about interrogation, it was just about making them ‘suffer’.”
Beatrice smiles brightly. Despite smiling, there’s not the slightest hint of cheerfulness in her smile. There’s just a creepy dryness to it, like it’s dried up and twisted.
“But this time,” she says, “it’s purposeful. I want to know so many things about you... things that have mesmerized me and that you haven’t told me yet.”
“Ugh!”
Hildir knew that death was not the end. She could do no more to betray the gods, not even for the sake of her soul, which would be captured by the beast gods after death.
This was etched into her soul and decided the moment she gave her soul to the Beast Gods, imprinting their imprints on her skin.
“Yes, I thought so.”
A slender finger caresses Hildir’s cheek in a knowing gesture, sliding down her arm. It’s enough to send her into a frenzy of happiness and pleasure, but the dry voice that follows brings her back to reality.
“That’s how the demons who invaded the kingdom built their pride.”
There was a snap, and a sound like something breaking.
Beatrice’s fingers, so soft and gentle, had snapped Hildir’s fingers.
“Turn it off?!”
Everyone screams in pain when their fingers are snapped in the opposite direction but Hildir was not allowed to make her voice heard.
Her full-throated screams remain only in her mouth. Beatrice stroked Hilde’s cheeks and asked in a soothing voice,
“They used a hundred years to corrupt me. How long will you last?”
Seeing Beatrice’s smile, Hildir realized that she could not save her soul.
She realized too late that the matter had been decided from the moment she had given her soul to the demon.
For what seemed like an eternity, Hildir poured out everything she knew to Beatrice.
And among them was──
“......Is that true?”
Beatrice sighed deeply as Hildir, covered in tears and snot, nodded.
“Funny, demons can ‘go through any gate’.”
The gate is a phenomenon.
Demons can use them to travel to any system and historical moment they wish.
Then.
“I guess that means we can go to any gate we want, too.”
Hoohoohoo....
The Magician Queen’s smile flashed across her face.