Ch.141Chapter 141. Night Stalker Demon (5)

# Chapter 141. Night Stalker Demon (5)

“Lakye!”

Lakye, who noticed before I did, rolled his body to avoid the creature’s attack.

Boom!

The green light fired from the creature’s fingertips shattered the floor.

Damn it. I couldn’t even see its attack. It suddenly vanished with a whoosh, then appeared right in front of me. Could that be an acceleration ability?

“It’s targeting the totem.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Unlike other demons, this one targeted the totem from the start. As if it knew that destroying the totem to neutralize me was the most important thing.

“You bastard!”

Kanto and Isaac swung their weapons, but the creature easily dodged and retreated. Its body slipped into the darkness and smoothly disappeared.

This isn’t just stealth, it’s almost like disintegration. Already tricky abilities have been enhanced.

“What a horrifically ugly creature,” said Isaac, staring at the spot where it had just been standing.

Yeah, it did look like a dog. Like a deep-sea anglerfish walking on two legs.

Wait, it disappeared like it was being sucked in.

The creature appeared in midair, tearing through space. “Tearing” might sound strange, but there’s no other way to describe it.

A hand appeared out of nowhere with a pop, pulling at its surroundings, and from that folded space, the Night Stalker demon’s body materialized.

When it disappeared just now, it seemed to seep into the darkness before vanishing.

It could have just vanished with a swoosh like when it ambushed us, but it deliberately moved physically too.

…

Perhaps it can only teleport through darkness.

Let’s assume that’s the case. Then there’s a way to counter it.

Since both the situation and its abilities have changed, let’s discard MeleeSpy’s strategy.

“Paya, we need Toughie’s flames.”

“Toughie! Fire!”

Paya understood my garbled instructions perfectly and gave the command.

Kweeek~!

Toughie breathed fire, heating up the surroundings. Parts of the dungeon hidden in darkness were revealed.

Strange murals that looked like they were carved in blood, an altar covered in cobwebs, and a skull tower emanating an eerie aura.

So hell on earth was right here. It looked like a proper dungeon where demons would live.

Swoosh!

A green light shot toward Toughie, who was busy spewing flames like a flamethrower. The Night Stalker demon must have released its divine power.

Lakye quickly jumped in and swung his meteor sword. Though the divine power was packed with ominous force, it couldn’t penetrate the golden light surrounding Lakye and his meteor sword, said to be the sturdiest on the continent, to reach Toughie.

Lakye’s supernatural ability could now be considered divine power too. Its energy wasn’t much weaker than the demon’s.

Good. We’ve blocked its spatial movement ability. At least we won’t be ambushed right in front of our faces.

“Where is it?”

“It’s gone! It seems to have disappeared like before!”

Kanto and Isaac checked the direction from which the claw had come, but they couldn’t find the creature. It must have teleported right after firing its claw. Clever beast.

“Don’t rush out alone. Stay near me while protecting Paya.”

This is a one-shot battle. The one who loses focus and becomes careless loses. This is advantageous for us.

We are many, it is alone.

I can restore my allies’ fatigue with the “Healing Totem.” We also have allies coming down after clearing the city’s demons and worshippers.

Paladin skills are optimized for hunting demons. Even Siwoo’s “Holy Flame” might be able to inflict effective damage.

The longer this goes on, the worse it gets for the Night Stalker demon.

“…It’s subtle, but the water color seems to be changing.”

Lakye, who had been vigilantly using his eyes and ears, stretched out his foot. The water reaching up to his heel rippled.

Ah, right.

The Night Stalker demon also had the ability to generate poison from its body. It must be hiding and releasing poison.

Trying to slowly poison us?

“Using such a petty tactic.”

Honestly, I’m not scared at all.

I used the blessing “Malak’s Domain.” Blue clouds formed above us and began to rain.

This isn’t ordinary rain. It’s rain that weakens enemies. I don’t know if it has sterilizing or detoxifying(?) functions, but at least it won’t let poison accumulate.

Since demon poison can be considered an enemy, wouldn’t it weaken it?

…No. That’s just baseless faith. This isn’t enough.

Anyway, if we catch this thing, we’ll definitely get a divine manifestation. Let’s not hold back on blessings.

[Would you like to upgrade the blessing ‘Malak’s Domain (Intermediate)’ to Advanced?]

Click.

I upgraded it immediately.

[Malak’s Domain (Advanced): Rains down water that weakens enemies. Enemies fall into status effects such as anxiety, chills, and slowness. May occasionally drop lightning. Can drive away all kinds of filth and impurity.]

Good. Another quite useful effect has been added.

Soon after, with a hissing sound, smoke rose from the water filling the dungeon floor. The dirty and impure water was being purified.

“Good. We’ve gained the upper hand.”

We drove away the darkness with Toughie’s flames, and my blessing is purifying the poison. As for Lakye, just standing in front is a big threat to the creature.

We had information about it, while it had none about us. We overcame seemingly equal abilities with the difference in information.

The two men are also playing roles that are “weak but certainly annoying enough to kill.” It’s time to end this tedious battle of wits. It’s time for a direct confrontation.

It was the moment when the rain from my summoned clouds extinguished all of Toughie’s flames.

With the sudden darkness, something approached us with a swoosh. I couldn’t see or hear it, but I could feel it instinctively.

It’s the demon. It’s attacking, seizing its last chance.

I can sense divine power. Not enough to ascend to heaven again, but very threatening divine power.

I didn’t need to say anything. Lakye, with her more sensitive detection ability, moved. She instantly amplified her divine power like when she flew to the griffin demon’s nest, emitting golden light from her entire body.

Clang!

The meteor sword and the Night Stalker demon’s hand collided. Metal against flesh, yet it made such a sound. Perhaps it had coated its hand with divine power.

The collision didn’t end there.

One second. No, maybe less than a second. An incredible exchange of attacks and defenses occurred in that short time.

It was a high-speed battle I’d never seen before. Like watching at 10x speed.

Lakye and the Night Stalker demon engaged in combat at a level that was hard for even my eyes to follow.

Wow. Isaac, you need to rename your swordsmanship. That’s what a Wind Pierce should look like, not whatever you do.

The only problem was that the creature’s body was barely outside the range of the Confusion Totem.

The Night Stalker demon was facing off against Lakye, swinging its very long arms around, but keeping its body pulled back.

Does it know I might use the Confusion Totem if necessary? Or maybe it’s wary because of the energy of true Malak flowing from the totem.

The creature occasionally glanced at Totem #3 with its translucent, hollow eyes. If Lakye were pushed back even a little, it would try to destroy the totem.

“Bind its feet.”

We have more numbers. Since the demon is focused on Lakye, even Isaac or Kanto shouldn’t be easily defeated.

“Haap!”

“Yah!”

Kanto and Isaac, who had been watching the exchange between the demigod and demon waiting for an opportunity, joined in. They ran in from left and right to interfere, and while their strength and speed might be inferior to Lakye’s, their experience and combat sense were excellent.

Isaac, who had received the “Enhancement Tattoo” blessing even before coming down to the Assassination Cult headquarters, attacked faster than Kanto. A combination of equipment advantage and buffs.

“Hup!”

Lakye, in the midst of the intense sword fight, suddenly threw her meteor sword at the creature.

What? What does this mean? A stress-induced suicide show? Shouldn’t she keep that sword right now?

I had a moment of brain freeze.

The creature deflected the meteor sword with its hand, and Lakye approached it.

The Night Stalker demon reached for Totem #3, and Lakye twisted her body just in time. It all happened in an instant.

Thunk!

The Night Stalker demon’s fingertip pierced Lakye’s shoulder. Red blood gushed out.

“Kuk!”

Lakye, slightly grimacing, raised the corner of her mouth.

“Got you.”

She grabbed the arm that had pierced her shoulder and pulled hard. Ah, she deliberately showed an opening to lure the creature in.

As expected of Lakye! The tribal federation’s greatest beautiful warrior! I believed in you!

Grooowl…!

The Night Stalker demon resisted fiercely, but it was useless. Lakye, eyes wide open, wouldn’t let go.

“Good!”

“Well done!”

Kanto swung his axe to strike the creature’s left foot, and Isaac mercilessly gouged its right foot with his sword.

“Toughie!”

Kweeek~!

Add Toughie’s body slam to that.

Now’s the time! I used the Confusion Totem on the creature as it lost balance and was dragged toward us.

Gurk!

Lakye’s hand dug into the abdomen of the creature, which was now bleeding from its eyes, nose, and mouth. She was no longer the guardian who ate alone.

Now that she understood the importance of “cooperation,” perhaps she’ll start mingling with the believers?