chapter_0076

Chapter 74: First and Last

Siwoo, who had been following the railgun’s projectile, hurriedly stopped in his tracks.

Thud-!!!

Two footprints on the ground transformed into lines.

He thrust his sword into the ground, using it as a brake, while keeping his gaze fixed on the demon.

He poured all his magic into reinforcing his nervous system to the limit.

I can’t afford to miss even a second.

This monster had already blocked Choharin’s maximum power railgun head-on.

And it had done so with nothing but a sword.

“Ugh… Hoo…”

Siwoo, now standing still, barely exhaled the breath he had been holding.

He poured cold water on his heated mind, which had been burning with anger.

While it was fine to get excited when facing other demons, he couldn’t foolishly rush in against such a monster.

“Can I do this?”

Choharin’s railgun, the maximum power magic he had seen every time during gate raids, was once again magnificent.

To block the devastating railgun with a sword, without relying on magic—could he really eliminate the flow of power without leaving any residual effect on his sword, without taking damage to his body?

It’s impossible.

No matter how many times he thought about it, the conclusion was the same.

With his current skill level, Siwoo could not block Choharin’s maximum power railgun.

He could either endure it or dodge it, but perfectly withstanding the attack like the Gladiator was impossible.

It’s only natural that it can’t use magic.

“If it could use magic, it would be A-rank or higher.”

“Nonsense.”

A blaze ignited in the demon’s crimson eyes.

The demon, who hadn’t shown any trace of emotion, corrected Siwoo’s words while restraining the disordered violet flames that had been stirred when it blocked the railgun.

“Had I reached out for magic, I would have become weaker than I am now.”

“Looks like you have talent, though.”

“Talent? That’s none of my concern.”

Boom!!

At the same time, Siwoo felt the ground tremble as the demon closed the distance.

An attack without any flashy gestures.

Therefore, the fastest sword strike was already upon him.

Emerald eyes traced the path of the violet flames, reading the traces left by the flames.

With the image of Jeong Se-ah’s attack in his mind, his movements were already completed.

Screech—!!

The black sword slid across the side of his tilted blade.

What the…!!

It was only a deflection.

He hadn’t blocked it or bounced it off—he had simply let the impact slide through.

Yet, even so, the shock left him disoriented.

The tingling in his fingertips revived his hazy senses.

The flames that had flared from the sigil wouldn’t forgive him for faltering.

It seemed as if the demon, who wouldn’t allow any failure, had a mentality that would never forgive him for losing to another demon—even though he was human.

Whoosh!

A storm of black flames swirled around the demon.

This would be an attack that even an ordinary demon wouldn’t be able to react to.

Not only would they fail to sense the magic, but the demon would experience excruciating pain from the subtle sparks of the deadly black flames.

Without even being able to predict it, a direct hit would bring certain death, pushing them to their knees.

“…Ha, indeed, I wouldn’t have needed to learn magic.”

However, the demon casually dodged the deadly vortex of flames.

If it had learned magic, it would not have been able to dodge this flame.

With its finely honed senses and instincts crafted through experience, the demon evaded the attack and responded with a neutral expression.

“One thing you know, and two things you don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“The demon who hasn’t learned magic is the most dangerous.”

The direction of the demon’s gaze was already decided.

They both stared at the tips of their swords.

There was no need to read the movements of their other muscles.

The direction in which the blade pointed could never be deceived.

“Because those demons who haven’t learned magic are already dead.”

“That’s true. You’ll die by my hand too.”

“If you can, then try.”

The demon muttered something incomprehensible and lunged forward first.

The black sword wrapped in violet flames shot through the air, like a brush drawing a beautiful violet trail.

The sword strike, now faster than before, made Siwoo react not with instinct, but with logic.

In his emerald-colored eyes, deep black flames ignited.

He could forgive many things, but not losing to a demon.

The black flames that pierced through his nerves replaced the insufficient magic.

A shock that felt like his brain was on fire made his consciousness waver, but the pain from the black flames wouldn’t allow him to faint.

Even if he died, he had to make sure that the demon in front of him died too.

Whoosh!

The violet strike was received.

The black flames devoured the violet flames, burning with hatred.

Kill it, tear it apart, destroy it, erase it.

Hatred emerged in his mind, fueling the black flames, which surged continuously.

Crackle—!

“…Tch.”

“Such intense flames. I thought there would be no one else with hatred like that, since that one…”

“Enough with the nonsense.”

Siwoo sent the flames of hatred toward the demon, who had retreated.

The violet flames clinging to the black flames were devoured.

This flame, just like the black flames, wasn’t a technique—it was a flame that contained willpower.

But even that willpower couldn’t resist hatred.

While it couldn’t last as long as other emotions, the flames fueled by hatred burned more intensely than anything else.

This was the black flames and the emotion of hatred.

‘This long battle might not be in my favor…’

After taking the hit, Siwoo breathed magic into his trembling muscles to stop the spasms.

Though he didn’t show it on his face, he had felt the demon’s prowess.

It wasn’t just speed.

Technique, strength, and even abilities—everything was overwhelmingly superior.

‘Black flames don’t work as well on this demon compared to others.’

Other demons would scream in pain just from receiving the black flames.

These flames, born solely to kill demons, could not affect other life forms, nor could they burn things like trees or grass.

The flames were fueled by the hatred and the will to destroy demons.

However, they were fatal only to demons.

Flames born to kill demons were inherently such.

Whoosh.

But this demon, even after taking the black flames head-on, remained completely unfazed.

‘These flames are being resisted.’

Could it be that the flames were born from the same will as his?

Several times, black flames that no other fire or magic could block were stopped.

And even this flame, as much as it was born from the demon’s essence, was surprisingly hard to burn through.

It wasn’t that the flames wouldn’t ignite—it was just so difficult to burn through something born from a demon’s essence.

‘It looks like it’ll be tough to kill him like this.’

“Then, will you ask for the help of the approaching mage?”

The demon’s sword tip pointed toward Cheong Ha-rin.

He must have used most of his magic to fire the railgun, so it would be difficult for him to fight.

Siwoo shook his head as he watched his partner approaching, chugging potions like water.

“He looks like he’s struggling right now.”

“Then what will you do? Your power is lethal, but it’s insufficient to kill me.”

“My power alone isn’t enough, is it?”

In that case, there was no choice but to bring in the power of someone else.

Whoosh!

The blue flames started from the ring.

The freezing force, starting from the back of his neck, filled the gap that couldn’t be reached by the demon.

“Isn’t that right?”

“… Ha.”

The demon, upon seeing that, laughed.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Was that it? Ah, so that was it!!”

The fog that had filled his mind lifted.

Memories buried deep in his heart resurfaced.

Only then did he understand.

“You were right, after all. Now, I’ll admit my foolishness!!”

The hand gripping the black sword tightened.

“To be with death—that was the right answer!!!”

“Did you go mad just before dying?”

“No, rather, I was the one who was mad all along.”

A bright smile bloomed on the demon’s face, which had been expressionless until now.

The pure white eternal ice.

The malignant blue flame.

And, finally, the charm that lures the mind.

“In the end, I can’t deny our defeat as those who didn’t die.”

Because he had been reborn as a demon.

He thought there would be no way to meet again other than through corruption.

The two demons, alongside the two abominations who died with them, condemned their foolishness.

The demon raised his black sword, and determination glimmered in his eyes.

No longer the demon who had only been evading death, he now had a new goal.

“Then, as a loser, there’s nothing left to do but bless the path of the victors.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. This is just self-satisfaction, a futile struggle of a defeated one.”

Fwoosh.

The will-infused violet flame blazed more fiercely than before.

“The last of the Demon King’s commanders, Jin Teje!”

He uttered a title that he never thought he would speak again.

Hoping, just hoping, that someone might remember him.

“I will take your head.”

“Chivalry and all that? Doesn’t suit a demon.”

The first and the last act of treason began.