Ch.139Chapter 139. Naidryan…?

Lin’s attacks were heavy but incredibly rough.

Her combat style was simple and brutal—throwing punches when close and stomping with her feet when there was distance—amounting to nothing more than pure violence.

But that made her all the more threatening to Rainfold.

Crack!

Each time he defended against her attacks, his exclusive item, Chaos, screamed in pain.

Pale-faced, Rainfold desperately sought the Demon God.

‘Demon God! Don’t just watch, help me!’

[You idiot! You’re the one who destroyed Lin’s homeland. Of course she’d attack you first—you’re her number one revenge target when her anger is unleashed!]

Angria was irritated beyond belief.

He acted so smart and meticulous, but now that he was losing the verbal battle in public court and being overpowered physically, he was begging for help like a child.

She decided he was truly hopeless.

She even began to doubt if she had chosen the wrong person from the start.

‘Can’t you control her with your powers?!’

[She’s in a berserk state. Whatever they did in her mental world, they forcibly ripped off all the chains of restraint at once. A demon consumed by suppressed emotions loses all reason until their rage is spent. Do you think commands would work on someone like that?]

While scolding the youngster, the Demon God continued her explanation calmly.

[Demons are strongest right after they’ve fallen. Conversely, if you absorb her power now, Chaos will become stronger. The damage will be repaired immediately. Like when you faced those demon slayer girls, induce her attacks and absorb a little each time there’s contact. Then the situation will reverse.]

‘Easier said than done!’

Though anxious, Rainfold was at least managing to block Lin’s attacks, living up to his reputation as a shield knight.

When he activated Chaos’s ability, just as the Demon God had said, demonic energy began flowing into him through contact each time he defended against Lin’s attacks.

Still, one wrong move and Rainfold would not escape unscathed.

“What did you do to Lin’s mind?!”

Ravin, who had been shocked by Lin’s corruption, came to his senses and grabbed Naidrian by the collar.

The archer, still bearing tear-blood stains, mumbled vacantly without taking his eyes off Lin.

“This was the only way for Lin to find happiness…”

“Happiness?! Becoming a demon and going berserk is happiness?!”

“Please believe me.”

Tigria, Arsil, Lucy.

Facing all of them, whether close or distant, who were glaring at him, Naidrian continued to mumble.

“Please, just this once, believe me and watch.”

Crash!

Rainfold was still withstanding Lin’s persistent attacks.

Lin, who had been gathering strength for single blows, was now connecting them into combinations.

She wasn’t just throwing consecutive punches but finding blind spots, increasing the danger.

Despite having just fallen, she was growing with innate combat sense.

[Amazing!]

The Demon God genuinely admired her.

[At this rate, she could hold her own against those demon slayer girls. No, she could trample them and more. Such pure, devoted demonic energy—it’s been so long since I’ve seen this.]

‘Whatever, just help me!’

Tired of Rainfold’s constant whining, the Demon God sighed.

[Sigh, I guess it’s not time yet. Fine.]

There wasn’t enough power gathered in Chaos to switch to Lin.

[Link.]

She injected power into Rainfold through the shield.

This was the Demon God’s safety net.

She could intervene and transfer power through the exclusive item.

The downside was that if the connected person took damage, she would feel the impact as well.

That’s partly why she chose a shield knight specialized in defense.

[Now, try to hold on.]

‘With this…!’

The dullness of Chaos intensified.

At the same time, Rainfold’s confidence returned.

Bang!

He blocked Lin’s punch from a blind spot without even looking.

The moment it touched the shield, he absorbed a tiny bit of power.

But Rainfold was still pushed back considerably.

This time, Lin spun around for a roundhouse kick.

He blocked and absorbed the power.

He was pushed back, but less than before.

When single attacks proved ineffective, Lin tackled low.

As the shield moved downward, Lin jumped up and struck with her fist.

CRASH-!

For the first time, Rainfold didn’t get pushed back.

“Counter!”

The shield knight’s skill to release accumulated damage activated.

Lin, hit by her own power in reverse, was blown backward by the shockwave.

“Ah, now it’s getting manageable.”

After just one successful counterattack, Rainfold regained his arrogant tone.

“Let me show you the defense of solid rock… ugh?!”

Before finishing his sentence, the young man made a pig-like sound.

Lin’s fist was already embedded in his face as he tried to smirk.

‘When did she—?!’

Crunch!

The attack that collapsed his nasal bone sent Rainfold flying into the imperial palace.

Dust rose from the palace where the outer wall had been breached, but the shield knight didn’t reappear.

“Amazing…”

Arsil, admiring Lin’s power, suddenly realized his thoughtless comment and felt ashamed.

It was absurd to just watch the battle while being at a loss about what to do with Lin who had become a demon.

“UOOOOOOOOO-!!!!!”

Having defeated the shield knight, Lin bent backward and roared.

People cowered at that roar full of rage and killing intent.

“Don’t retreat! Don’t retreat…!”

Even Airan, encouraging from the front, had difficulty steadying his trembling legs.

If left alone, everyone would die, demon or not.

Thinking of the children with Garin and Rowellina, Airan tried to think of his next move, but even the great general felt helpless.

“Lin.”

Someone called to the roaring Lin.

“Lin, I’m here.”

It was Lucy, who had lost her will to fight.

With her abyss flowing, she quietly called to Lin.

And Lin responded faithfully to that call.

Thud!

Charging with red eyes blazing, Lin pulled back her shoulder and struck Lucy’s abdomen with added momentum.

“Ugh…!”

Dry-heaving, Lucy was lifted into the air.

Lin grabbed Lucy’s face and slammed her into the ground like a takedown.

Crash!

Lucy was instantly covered in blood.

Crack!

She lifted and slammed her down again.

Breathless pain overwhelmed her.

As she continued to be smashed into the ground without pause, Lucy’s smile deepened with each intensifying pain.

“Anyway, without you, I can’t sleep even a single day… Kill me… Let me die by your hands…”

At those words, Lin looked at the marble fragments created from the cracked ground.

She dragged Lucy up.

If she smashed her into this marble now, her spine would break and she would die.

What greater romance could there be than dying at the hands of the one you love?

At the brink of death, Lucy felt intense pleasure along with the pain.

“Lin, stop!”

Purple magical energy bound Lin.

With a thud, Lucy, barely freed, collapsed on the ground with unfocused eyes.

“UOOOOO-!!!”

“Ugh… What strength…!”

Despite pouring all her magic into the binding spell, Lin hesitated only briefly before slowly walking toward Tigria.

The astonished mage concentrated more magic, but this only made Lin’s muscles bulge more, nearly breaking the bindings.

“Lin, calm down!”

Finally gathering courage, Arsil ran to help Tigria.

Arsil leaped with a holy-powered fist aimed at Lin’s chin.

But at that moment, the saint noticed Lin’s slightly dislocated left shoulder.

The dislocation caused by her failure to heal it.

The elixir had merely allowed it to move by breaking and healing it.

And how many times had she struck Lin since then?

Now she was supposed to do it again?

Guilt held her back.

The holy power dissipated, and her fist lowered.

“UAAAH!!!”

“Kyaa!”

Simultaneously, Lin broke free of the binding spell.

As she tore through the magic with physical force, the shockwave threw Arsil into Tigria, and both fell.

Lin’s red eyes began scanning the people in the square.

Everyone flinched and retreated.

Meeting her eyes meant death.

They instinctively felt that no one could survive her rage.

“Lin.”

“…?!”

Hearing someone call her name again, Lin quickly turned and attacked.

But the attack didn’t reach its target.

Not because it was dodged, but because she stopped herself.

Because the one who called her was none other than Ravin.

Instinct made her stop.

Realizing this, Ravin felt both moved and had to suppress his sadness.

“I shouldn’t have let you go alone back then…”

He extended his hand to her.

“I shouldn’t have left you there when I saw you suffering…”

His fingertips trembled.

“Come with me, Lin. I don’t care if this world ends or what you’ve become. Let’s go somewhere where no one else is and live, just the two of us.”

This time, Ravin held back his tears and spoke directly.

“I won’t just wait anymore.”

Lin stared silently at that hand.

Slowly, she raised her own hand.

From her tightly closed mouth, she uttered two syllables in a hoarse voice.

“Ra… vin…”

And just as their hands were about to touch, a thunderous sound erupted from the palace.

CRASH-!

“That’s enough! You insolent bastard!!”

Rainfold, who had been smashed by Lin, burst through the outer wall.

His once handsome face was long ruined with a collapsed nose, now twisted into grotesqueness.

One side of his face was contorted in rage, while the other side was grinning widely.

“How dare you ruin my face~!!!!”

[Yes! That’s more like it! You’re truly amazing, Lin!]

Each half of his face moved independently, with Rainfold and the Demon God speaking different words.

Angria, very satisfied, raised Chaos.

[Ah, damn, it hurts me too! The link seems complicated now. Biting your master—you need some training.]

Keeeeeeeng-!

Unlike the previous counter that only returned Lin’s attacks, this was different.

The Demon God’s energy, combined with the demonic energy and resentment that Chaos had stored from the demon slayers, formed a massive sphere.

[Don’t worry. Even if you die, I’ll absorb you and make you part of my body. Then when enough time passes, I’ll revive you. In about… a thousand years?]

The link was indeed useful.

She could finally use her inherent power that had been suppressed all this time.

[God Slayer: Apocalyptic Reflux!]

CRASH-!

The sphere of demonic energy shot out like a laser.

The massive, incredibly fast energy mass moved unstoppably toward Lin.

“Hundred-fold barrier!!!”

The mage quickly deployed a hundred layers of defense, but they were torn apart effortlessly.

“No!!”

Lucy tried to jump out but collapsed from her injuries.

The Demon God’s skill approached in an instant.

Lin instinctively knew she wouldn’t survive if hit.

But Ravin was behind her.

She quickly grasped Ravin’s hand.

“Lin?”

And threw her toward Tigria, embracing her body.

“Lin!!!”

It was too late to dodge.

Lin looked at the approaching energy indifferently and closed her eyes.

Her instinct sadly consoled her that it wouldn’t be so bad to end her long suffering and find eternal rest.

However,

Someone interfered with this moment that even Lin had given up on.

“BENEFACTOR!!!!!!”

It was truly a split-second difference, paper-thin.

Naidrian, who had concentrated all his strength in his legs, leaped in front of Lin without hesitation.

CRUNCH-!

“…!!!!”

His mouth opened in pain, but no scream came out.

Where the demonic energy touched Naidrian’s body, all blood vessels burst.

His arms, unable to withstand, twisted and twisted until they were torn off and vanished without a trace.

But with his mere elf body, Naidrian perfectly blocked the Demon God’s skill.

It was nothing short of a miracle that no one had expected.

Thud.

The archer, reduced to a piece of meat, fell to the ground.

Lin looked down at him blankly.

Seeing Lin safe, Naidrian smiled, just a little.

“Are… you… alright…?”

In this moment created by sacrificing everything, Naidrian was satisfied.

That tragic yet satisfied smile pulled Lin’s reason, buried under rage, back to consciousness.

“Naidrian…?”

Amid everyone’s shock, only Lin called out to her with an empty voice.