Chapter 35

Episode 35

The battle was fierce.

*Boom!*

*Rumble!*

If we were in the Cliff family’s castle, we would have held back, careful not to cause too much damage.

But knowing this was Nielsen’s pocket dimension, we unleashed our full power.

Nielsen’s resistance was formidable.

Even with Selendis’ shield wall, we were struggling to defend against his attacks. I had to use ‘Automatic Combat’ to block his relentless assault.

As expected of someone empowered by demonic energy, he favored area-of-effect attacks. We couldn’t afford to let our guard down for a moment.

But the turning point came from an unexpected source.

*Boooom!*

A blinding spear of light pierced Nielsen’s chest, his body now a grotesque monstrosity.

It was a magnificent sight.

It was as if a primordial god had descended to banish the darkness.

*『Gaaaaah…』*

Nielsen roared, clutching his chest, black smoke spewing from his wounds like blood. Each time he was injured, the surrounding darkness receded.

Light seeped in, as if a dark shell was peeling away.

‘Is the barrier acting as an energy source?’

I wouldn’t have even considered this possibility if we weren’t in a game world.

Boss battles in games often had ‘phases’.

If the appearance of his black wings marked the beginning of the first phase, then the peeling away of the darkness might be the transition to the second phase.

His wings, once symbols of demonic power, were now tattered and torn.

I caught my breath, my sword still raised.

“He’s not an ordinary mage. To conceal his true identity as a doctor, he must be a master of magic.”

“You know I didn’t do it on purpose, right?”

“I’m learning a lot today. I didn’t know my trusted adjutant thought I was stubborn.”

“Wow, you’re holding a grudge?”

Since I had already been labeled as ‘grudge-holding’, I decided to embrace it and unleashed a wave of sword energy.

*Hum!*

*Boom!*

The air vibrated with the force of the impact. But a black barrier protected Nielsen, negating the damage.

His body continued to contort and transform, suggesting that he was entering the next phase.

“He’s transforming into his true form.”

“You’re right. But don’t worry. He hasn’t fully awakened as a demon yet. He’s still half-baked.”

*Thump!*

A powerful heartbeat echoed through the dimension. It was accelerating, suggesting that the transformation was nearing completion.

Selendis unleashed another wave of sword energy, but it was blocked by the barrier.

“Is there any basis for your ‘half-baked’ assessment?”

“Of course. I have some experience dealing with demons.”

I had to admit, he had a point.

I had never seen such a powerful and radiant spear of light. Perhaps he specialized in demon hunting?

Paladins were known for their demon-slaying abilities.

But Jericho’s physique didn’t suggest a Paladin.

“He would have fully transformed if he had sacrificed the entire Cliff family. But there haven’t been any casualties among the direct descendants. He didn’t have enough time.”

“Are we just going to stand here and watch? He’s getting bigger.”

“His energy is finite. I don’t know how he was corrupted, but we’ll finish him off once he completes his transformation.”

“You would have done it already if you could.”

“Of course I can’t do it alone. I’ll set up a trap to immobilize him. Buy me some time. Thirty seconds should be enough.”

Nielsen’s transformation was complete.

*Grooooowl…*

A colossal monster stood before us.

He had initially resembled a larger version of Nielsen with wings. But now, the wings were gone, replaced by a massive, hulking body supported by four thick legs.

His body was pitch black, his mane and tail glowing with a molten red light. His tongue flickered with the same fiery intensity.

A red gem embedded in his forehead pulsed with an ominous light.

“That gem is a sign of his pact with a demon. It’s small because he’s not fully transformed. And watch out for his breath attack. He resembles a Cerberus, so his abilities are likely similar.”

“Focus on your preparations.”

Jericho closed his eyes and began chanting, his hands moving in intricate patterns.

*Flash!*

Two beams of light shot out from his hands, diverging and forming a massive circle that encompassed both us and the monster.

“Selendis, target his right side. I’ll take the left. Our goal is to distract him, not to defeat him. Don’t be reckless.”

“Yes, Master.”

I charged forward as soon as the magic circle began to glow.

*Grrrrrrr!*

The monster opened its jaws, spewing molten saliva.

*Click!*

‘Automatic Combat’ wasn’t easily fooled, even by a demon.

I dodged effortlessly, using the monster’s leg as a springboard to change direction. I swung my sword.

*Thud!*

The blade sliced through his flesh with ease.

Jericho was right.

Despite his intimidating appearance, his energy reserves were depleted. We could defeat him if we kept this up. But I was curious about Jericho’s secret weapon.

*Slice!*

*Whoosh!*

Selendis unleashed her aura, inflicting more wounds. We fought relentlessly.

But it was Nielsen who was panting, his breath ragged.

Molten blood and black smoke oozed from his wounds. He was struggling to stay on his feet.

‘He’s still alive. We need a special attack.’

The red gem on his forehead had been bothering me. In most games, gems embedded in a demon’s body were often linked to their soul.

The developers of ‘Queen Maker’ were probably inspired by Diablo.

‘I bet we have to destroy that gem. I need to prepare.’

The white light emanating from the magic circle intensified. Jericho’s trap was activating.

“Inspector, now! I’ll restrain him! Destroy the gem on his head!”

*Rumble!*

*Boom!*

The ground shook violently. The monster collapsed, as if pulled down by an invisible force.

*『Grrrrrrr! Ugh!』*

He thrashed and struggled, but the celestial chains held him fast.

And the gem on his forehead flickered, its light dimming.

He was weakening.

“Selendis, fall back and protect Jericho.”

I sheathed the Sword of Chaos and drew the Black Wind Bow.

There was no time to waste.

I channeled my aura into the crossbow, focusing it into a single, powerful shot. I aimed for the gem.

I didn’t need to worry about wind or recoil. ‘Automatic Combat’ would ensure a perfect shot.

*Twang!*

*Shatter!*

The gem shattered without resistance.

Red dust scattered in the air. The monster went limp, its movements ceasing, like a robot with its power source cut off.

A blinding light engulfed us.

We were back in the ancestral shrine. The pocket dimension had vanished, along with Nielsen’s demonic power.

The demonic energy that had permeated the castle was gone.

Only a gentle breeze remained.

“You did it! That was amazing!”

“What kind of magic circle was that? It weakened him.”

“Hahaha, it’s a long story. It’s a family secret.”

“So you’re not telling me?”

“Not for free.”

Nielsen’s body had reverted to its human form. It was pale and withered, drained of all fluids.

“We can discuss it over a beer. But we’re not done yet. We need to find the source of his corruption.”

Jericho drew a dagger from his belt and infused it with magical energy. The blade glowed white.

He rolled the body over and plunged the dagger into Nielsen’s chest.

*Thud!*

He frowned, feeling resistance.

“There it is. The source.”

He reached into the wound and retrieved a small, black orb. It pulsed with demonic energy.

His left hand glowed white, its light strong enough to counter the orb’s demonic energy.

“It’s called a ‘Dark Soul’. Demons scattered them across the world during the ancient war between humans and demons.”

“It corrupts people?”

“Not just humans. Dwarves, elves, orcs… But other races have a stronger mental resistance. Humans are easily corrupted.”

“How do we dispose of it?”

“Paladins usually destroy them with holy artifacts. Or they seal them if they need to study them.”

*Crack!*

Nielsen’s body crumbled into dust, scattered by the wind.

We stared at the ‘Dark Soul’.

“We have to contact the Church.”

“There’s another way. I can destroy it.”

“You?”

I was curious about Jericho’s story. I would have to get him drunk later.

“Before we do that, I want to confirm something. You said you wouldn’t involve the Church. Is that still your decision?”

“Of course. We can’t miss this opportunity.”

“Very well. Let’s destroy it.”

Jericho extended his right hand.

A rift appeared in the air. I wasn’t surprised, having already experienced Nielsen’s pocket dimension. But it was still fascinating.

He retrieved a silver hammer from his dimensional storage. It looked incredibly sturdy.

He placed the ‘Dark Soul’ on his left palm and swung the hammer.

*Boom!*

*Crack! Crack!*

Cracks appeared on the orb’s surface, then it shattered.

The holy light emanating from Jericho’s hand and the hammer faded.

“It’s done. The demonic energy that plagued this castle is gone. The Viscount and his family will recover. And there won’t be any more deaths.”

“We need to come up with a plausible explanation.”

“How about we say Nielsen poisoned them? I’ll fabricate the evidence.”

It was a good idea. I nodded.

Then, I remembered something and turned to Selendis.

“What did you see in the illusion?”

“…!”

She flinched and averted her gaze. Her face flushed, and she turned away.

What was that about?

Was it what I thought it was?

“I’ll summon the investigators. They might have found something.”

“O-okay…”

Jericho grinned mischievously.

“Inspector, it seems Lady Selendis isn’t completely indifferent. Is this what you meant by turning a crisis into an opportunity? Spring has sprung! Ouch! Don’t glare at me like that! I wouldn’t dare exploit your weakness! Relax. Hahaha. Hahaha…”

The real demon was right here.