Chapter 186

Ŕ​éäd̈​ ̈ôǹ ̀K̈át̃​Ŕêád̀ín̈g̈C̃​àf̈é

The Demonic Beasts.

For hundreds of years, humanity has waged war against the monsters from another world.

In that long span of time, six Transcendent Beasts have descended.

Though their appearances in history have been rare, the marks they left behind were deep and heavy.

The fifth Demonic Beast, the Colossus Typhon, annihilated the 8th Division of the Celestial Corps.

The sixth Demonic Beast, which descended alongside a great calamity, slaughtered countless Heroes and civilians.

Every time a Demonic Beast descended, humanity was shaken to its core. Their strength was awe-inspiring. 

Though there were differences in power among them, they were monstrous beings that dared to challenge the majesty of the Devil Gods.

Even the Devil Gods acknowledged the strength of Typhon, the strongest Demonic Beast. A being closer to a Devil God than any other. Perhaps it could have become a new Devil God.

Naturally, Demonic Beasts were exceedingly rare.

Among the countless monsters, only a handful evolved into Demonic Beasts.

Thus, the Devil Gods watched with interest for the birth of new Demonic Beasts.

The birth of challengers to divine authority.

And here, a new Demonic Beast stood.

A swordsman who began as a nameless Death Knight and reached the realm of a Demonic Beast.

Blessed by Baal, the 1st-ranked Devil God, who took special interest in her.

A knight of death taken in and named by Astaroth, the 29th-ranked Devil God.

The seventh to descend.

Ereshkigal.

“Hu…”

With a short breath, the demonic sword drew a line.

From left to right. The blade swung horizontally in a straight line.

Though it cut through empty air, the result was horrifying.

Sssshhk—! 

Before the sound of the slash, the corridor walls were split in half. The shock shattered the windows in unison. Shards of glass scattered, and before they could hit the ground, another wave of sword energy swept through. Dozens of slashes ravaged the ward in an instant.

“Impressive.”

Behind the fox mask, Ereshkigal’s lips curved into a smile.

A rapid series of strikes.

Sword energy faster than sound.

It tore everything within range to pieces.

Yet, not a single drop of blood was spilled.

“If you want to talk, you’ll need to keep your head intact. Right?”

A cold aura lingered where the slashes had landed.

Isabella, who had blocked every strike, sneered.

In her hand was a spear of ice. Nearly two meters long. Though cumbersome in the narrow corridor, her movements were swift.

“I’ll freeze everything but your head.”

“Do it if you can.”

Ereshkigal charged forward, responding to the provocation. The demonic sword danced brilliantly. 

In response, Isabella’s spear left clear traces in the air. 

Time was sliced into fractions of a second. 

Each flash of light sent shockwaves sweeping through the area. Death energy and cold intertwined, and the ward quickly lost its pristine appearance.

Crash! 

The floor was cut through, and the building began to collapse. 

Yet, neither side retreated. 

Stepping on the falling debris, they clashed again. 

Violent roars echoed, and shockwaves turned the fragments into dust. 

The demonic sword and the ice spear collided, deflected, grazed, and locked together. Each time, immense pressure surged in all directions.

The 3rd Division Captain.

One of the seven pillars supporting the Celestial Corps.

Isabella.

She was Angelica’s superior and once her mentor. Much of Angelica’s spear techniques were based on hers. 

Naturally, her skill surpassed that of Angelica, who had only recently reached the level of a captain. She effortlessly parried Ereshkigal’s strikes and countered with her own onslaught.

‘Clean. Elegant and sharp.’

Ereshkigal couldn’t help but admire.

Honest strikes, devoid of any trickery.

Thus, they were heavy, deliberate, fast, and precise.

Before becoming a Demonic Beast.

When she was just a nameless Death Knight.

She would have surely lost instantly.

Even as a Black Knight, one of the highest-ranked Named Monsters.

Even if she removed her armor and released all limiters, her chances were slim.

She could feel it in her bones. The cold energy seeped deep into her marrow.

‘This is a captain of the Celestial Corps. The pinnacle of humanity.’

Ereshkigal didn’t let her guard down for even a moment.

She fought with all her might to bring down the woman before her.

Swinging her demonic sword without holding back.

‘So strong. I didn’t know humans could be this strong.’

Yet, they were evenly matched.

No, she was slightly being pushed back.

Though the difference was minuscule, it was unmistakable.

Even though she was fighting purely as a swordsman, without using her supernatural abilities, the same went for her opponent.

Just as Ereshkigal was fighting as a ‘swordsman’ rather than a ‘Death Knight’, Isabella was fighting as a ‘spear master’ rather than a ‘supernatural’.

‘There are six more captains like this, right? Well, it makes sense. Humans have defeated Demonic Beasts time and time again.’

Even Typhon, the strongest Demonic Beast, had knelt before humanity.

They were on a completely different level from the rabble.

Now, Ereshkigal understood why the captains were called the pillars of humanity.

Yes, with such strong individuals, humanity had been able to wage war against the monsters for so long.

‘But…’

If this was all, it was a bit disappointing.

Her body creaked as it moved.

The new vessel accepted Ereshkigal’s will.

The sharp demonic sword became a surging wave.

‘I am evolving, even at this very moment.’

A slash knocked aside Isabella’s spear.

The ice spear slid to the left.

Isabella’s eyebrow twitched.

‘If this is all, I’ll catch up in no time.’

Ereshkigal had hit a wall.

Her body couldn’t withstand the immense death energy.

If her body couldn’t endure, her skills couldn’t grow.

Even a slight exertion would cause her body to collapse.

A power so great that her flesh couldn’t contain it.

In a way, Ereshkigal was in a similar situation to Belial.

Experience had piled up, but she couldn’t take the next step.

The wall blocked her experience and hindered her growth.

Experience that had piled up but couldn’t progress beyond the wall.

Skills that had accumulated but couldn’t advance.

Then, finally, she broke through the wall.

She transcended the realm of monsters and became a Demonic Beast.

All the experience she had accumulated burst forth at once.

Ereshkigal was now reaping the rewards of her past efforts.

The hardships she had endured never betrayed her.

She grew. Every minute. Every second. Even in that short time, she moved forward.

The gap between Ereshkigal’s swordsmanship and Isabella’s spear techniques closed in an instant.

And surpassing it took only a moment.

She was now slightly ahead.

The difference was so minuscule it was almost nonexistent.

But that gap began to widen noticeably.

‘This guy…!’

Isabella clenched her teeth.

She was getting faster. Much more precise.

It was as if she had been testing the waters until now.

Isabella carefully analyzed Ereshkigal. She was definitely not as strong as Astaroth. Was she not a Devil? Or was there a significant gap in power even among Devils?

That didn’t mean Ereshkigal was weak.

She was just a step behind Astaroth, but her strength was still “real”.

A power that surpassed Named Monsters.

At this level, she could at least become a Demonic Beast.

‘It’ll be hard to guarantee victory on my own.’

Isabella took pride in her abilities. She was a captain, wasn’t she? One of the seven pillars of the Celestial Corps. That meant she was one of the pinnacles of humanity. Isabella had a strong sense of self-esteem and pride.

But she wasn’t arrogant.

She believed in her own strength, but she never became complacent.

‘After all, I’m not as strong as Kallad.’

She hated to admit it, but she probably wasn’t as strong as Karma either.

Azazel was likely above her as well.

She couldn’t even compare to the Commander.

There were gaps in power even among the captains.

Knowing this, Isabella never overestimated herself.

“Hey, Fox Mask.”

Isabella grinned.

Despite her quiet and gentle appearance,

her smile was fierce and wild.

“Aren’t you focusing too much on me?”

You can’t guarantee victory on your own?

So what?

I’m not alone.

“…Huh?!”

Ereshkigal let out a short groan and retracted the demonic sword she had been swinging.

She tried to split the ground beneath her, but it was too late.

From the rubble of the collapsed ward, a massive boulder erupted and grabbed her ankle as if to crush it.

“Gravity.”

Angelica’s monotone voice resonated through the air.

Ereshkigal’s sword faltered as her body suddenly became heavier.

She tried to slash the hand of the boulder gripping her ankle, but her strike missed its mark.

“100 times.”

Supernatural ability.

【Earth】

But that didn’t fully represent her essence.

It was only a fraction of Angelica’s true power.

【Dominion over the Earth】

She controlled all concepts related to the earth.

A higher-tier ability that encompassed multiple powers.

Only a select few among supernaturals could master such a concept.

This was why Isabella had taken an interest in Angelica, and what made her special compared to other supernaturals.

Her already versatile applications had evolved even further after breaking through the wall.

“…”

Ereshkigal’s hidden crimson eyes behind the mask quickly scanned her surroundings.

It was heavy. Her body had suddenly become much heavier. It felt like something was pressing down on her.

The space around her had become heavier. Gravity had intensified.

“Good, keep holding her like that.”

Ereshkigal could withstand this level of pressure.

She would adapt quickly, and overcoming it wouldn’t be too difficult.

But her movements would slow down.

Her agility would noticeably decrease.

“Do you think fighting one against many is cowardly?”

Isabella smiled warmly.

It was a benevolent smile that matched her gentle appearance.

With the face of an innocent noble lady, Isabella spoke.

“Who cares about cowardice when fighting monsters?”

Winning is all that matters.

Talking about fairness against monsters is just asking to die.

If anyone says that, I’ll freeze them first.

“Freeze.”

Isabella clasped her hands together.

“Ni-ō.”

Boom! 

Ice erupted. 

Pure white snow fell. 

The sunlight piercing through the transparent ice distorted. 

A colossal statue, towering as if it could reach the sky, revealed its majestic form. 

Its eyes were stern, and its lips were solemnly sealed. 

Its massive arms stretched out, holding a transparent greatsword. 

The Mountain-Splitting Sword. 

A sword so overwhelming it could split the world in two and cleave mountains apart.

“Vajra Warrior.”

Even though it was a statue of ice, its presence was overwhelming.

The giant glared down at Ereshkigal, who was much smaller.

It swung the Mountain-Splitting Sword down as if to crush a bug.

Despite its size, its speed was absurdly fast.

“…Hmm.”

Ereshkigal let out a groan. She couldn’t steady her stance. Gravity pressed down on her entire body. The boulder gripped her leg and pulled her down. Her body swayed, and her sword swung wildly. 

No matter how skilled she was, it was difficult to respond properly in this situation. But she couldn’t just take the hit. A fierce light lingered in Ereshkigal’s crimson eyes.

She gripped the demonic sword tightly with both hands, barely managing to steady herself. A massive amount of death energy gathered on the blade. 

The surroundings began to corrode. 

The air became polluted as the aura of death spread. The ground dried up, and ashes began to scatter.

Four Calamities, First Form: Chaos.

From below to above.

The demonic sword swung toward the Vajra Warrior’s Mountain-Splitting Sword.

A blade so small compared to the sword that could split mountains emitted a dark flash.

“Ni-ō.”

But Ereshkigal wasn’t fighting just one person.

Angelica glared at her with cold eyes.

Suppressing her with gravity, gripping her leg with the boulder’s hand.

And with the remaining strength, she summoned a massive stone statue.

“Vajra Warrior.”

Rumble! 

The boulder’s hand holding Ereshkigal shook. Ereshkigal felt her vision rise. 

Her body was lifted high despite the heavy gravity. 

She realized belatedly that the hand gripping her wasn’t just a hand. It was connected to an arm, which led to a shoulder, and then to a massive, rugged body.

The other hand, which wasn’t holding her leg, moved. The Vajra Warrior grabbed Ereshkigal’s body tightly. 

Naturally, the slash she had been preparing was rendered useless. The dark flash wavered like a small boat caught in a wave. 

Ereshkigal let out a hollow laugh. 

‘This is… a bit dangerous.’

The Mountain-Splitting Sword descended toward Ereshkigal’s head. With her counterattack thwarted, she had no chance to swing her sword again. 

It was too late. 

Ereshkigal gathered death energy around her body, forming a solid protective barrier. But would it be enough to withstand that? 

The corner of Ereshkigal’s mouth twisted into a grin. Guess I’ll find out.

Boom!

The shockwave tore through the air.

The Ni-ō statue holding Ereshkigal shattered.

The debris from the collapsed ward exploded outward.

“…”

Isabella furrowed her brows. It didn’t feel satisfying. She squinted to see through the swirling dust cloud. But there was no need. The dust that had obscured her vision vanished as if blown away by the wind.

“Yeah, I agree with that.”

It was the voice of a child.

Though her face was hidden behind a white cloud mask, her youthful voice couldn’t be hidden.

She looked about ten years old. Despite the arrival of summer, she was bundled up in a thick padded jacket. Her voice was androgynous, making it hard to tell if she was a boy or a girl.

“Who cares about cowardice in a fight? The winner is justice.”

Isabella and Angelica’s expressions hardened. It was their first time seeing her in person, but they had read about her in the records. Another Devil besides Astaroth. Murmur. A dangerous individual said to have opened rifts.

The Mountain-Splitting Sword cracked. Each time Murmur, with her tiny hands, tightened her grip on the blade, the cracks spread further. Murmur looked at them indifferently and said,

“Monsters, come out.”

Well, what are you going to do?

Do whatever you can, whether it’s cowardly or not.

I’ll play along for now.

Because I will win.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Ere alone is not enough to deal with two god-tier supernaturals.

Ta-da! That’s why Murmur came to help!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Can we talk about how useless that attack has been in this entire series? 

It’s been used against op enemies, but man, use a more efficient attack next time!! Not a giant long cast-time slow AOE attack!

Smh.