Ch.1535-1++

# 153. 5-1++

There are many famous sayings.

Humans are learning animals, you become like those you associate with. Things like that.

I’m not trying to say anything grandiose, but by living with Sunghyun, I naturally came to understand things about him, and beyond just grasping his tendencies or habits, I began to resemble him little by little.

Whether it was Seyeon or anyone else.

Of course, that doesn’t mean their original personalities or individuality disappeared, but…

“After getting rid of the demon, now these pathetic scraps are running around. If I’d known this would happen, I should have cleaned them up along with the demon as a set.”

If Sunghyun had seen this note, he would have had quite a bewildered expression. And then he would have quickly composed himself and said I did well.

Anyway, turning back time a bit to when Seyeon was about to charge in for the first time.

Seyeon, who recklessly charged at those crazy magicians flinging spells, filled her sword with holy power and swung it wildly.

She didn’t swing directly at the magicians but merely spread the energy, so it wasn’t particularly lethal, but the action itself was so absurd that she drew significant aggro as soon as she appeared behind them. Since holy power stands in direct opposition to demonic energy, it considerably irritated their nerves.

But then she sheathed her holy sword-like weapon with a snap.

“I stopped by this city again because I heard there were demon summoners… but I guess this isn’t the place.”

After saying this, she cut down one of the dazed nearby magicians and then coolly turned around as if she had no business here at all.

Naturally, from the demon summoners’ perspective, this was beyond absurd and they couldn’t help but feel a mix of confusion and humiliation.

Someone wielding a sword imbued with holy power mentions “demons” while looking down on them collectively?

“Catch her!”

Intolerable. Absolutely intolerable!

It was clear that she was either the demon slayer or at least part of that group.

“But the Tower Master’s orders—”

“Tower Master? Tower Master?”

*Slap*

“Hey, snap out of it. This vermin who ruined our cause has just insulted all of us right to our faces. Is there anything more important than that? Why do you think she’s reappeared now, after being gone for so long, just when we’re about to take complete control of this city? To interfere once again! And you’re babbling about something more important than pursuing that vermin? Huh? Tell me. Use that supposedly intelligent brain of yours and tell me!!!”

“Y-you’re right. I’ll pursue her immediately.”

“Not just pursue—we must capture her! There’s no way she could have defeated the Hellfire Demon alone!”

The magician was furious that the vermin had already disappeared from sight.

“We must capture her now! We can’t let that vermin run free!”

The subordinate magicians stopped casting their spells and began chasing after the holy knight who had appeared and disappeared on her own terms.

Did the high-ranking magician who urged his subordinates know?

That this was exactly what the so-called “vermin” holy knight wanted.

The holy knight, Seyeon, maintained a “moderate” pace, skillfully altering her route to both evade the pursuing magicians and lure in other groups of magicians.

And along that route, she even posted papers with provocative messages in conspicuous places to waste time and further enrage them.

Naturally, the magicians who saw these messages while chasing Seyeon were infuriated, and they tore off the papers to report the current situation to the Tower Master along with the notes.

In response, the Tower Master and the leadership issued orders to pursue the demon slayer with all available means instead of crushing the resistance forces…

**

“I wondered why these demon-worshipping trash left the place where the demon died untouched—turns out they were afraid it would become their grave.”

“It must hurt their pride that what they thought was an overwhelming presence was defeated by mere adventurers, not even magicians. Yet they still want to use their slightly enhanced power somehow… so they chose to occupy a ruined city. Even an 8-year-old child would be more mature than that.”

“Except for a few conscientious magicians, all tower magicians are just lecherous cowards. These embodiments of pointless self-love, who believe they’re superior to everyone else while living in comfort, surrender too easily to demonic entities, become corrupt, and covet power they shouldn’t desire—all while lumping it under the word ’cause.’ The grand idea is right. It’s just completely wrong in execution.”

“Demon summoners are like parasites. Magicians are created through the culmination of countless hours, resources, and accumulated teachings. As humans, even if they don’t help others, they shouldn’t cause harm—yet after consuming so many resources, they think about killing and taking over the city that nurtured them. If that’s not parasitic, what is?”

“Characteristics of overwhelming power: Boasting about strength only to the weak while claiming to be overwhelming.”

“Characteristics of overwhelming power 2: Not particularly overwhelming at all.”

While the bait team was faithfully playing their role, the provocation team wasn’t idle either. The provocation team’s role was to set the stage for the bait team’s lures to be more effective…

“Over there!”

“Wow! Here comes the overwhelming power (in numbers)! I’m so scared!”

“Catch her! It’s the demon slayer!”

*BOOM!*

The magicians were destroying innocent buildings, enraged just by the sight of Yuri’s actions. How could magicians with their physical limitations possibly chase after Yuri, who moved nimbly through the complex cityscape while taunting them? Yuri provocatively shouted inflammatory comments until her throat was raw and posted them on building exteriors at every opportunity.

Someone might wonder what the point of all this was in such chaos, but there was meaning to it.

Yuri’s keen senses could detect residents hiding deep in their shelters, quiet as mice, watching how the situation would unfold even amid this confusion.

That’s why she deliberately raised her voice even more.

So they could hear. To let them know that saviors had come to somehow deal with these crazed magicians. That they should hold on just a little longer despite their fear.

“Oh no! The overwhelming demonic power in your magic has scorched the outer wall!”

“That bitch! Shoot! Hit her!”

“Oh right! The demon is dead, isn’t it?”

“Arrrgh!”

The tower magicians had a surprisingly low tolerance for provocation. Well, unless someone had their liver sticking out of their belly, no one would normally dare speak to tower magicians like this.

But even considering that, they seemed too easily excited.

‘It’s because you’ve accepted demonic power, you scruffy-bearded old men.’

It was too much fun. This situation where she could strike without being hit, with satisfying targets spread all around, was just too enjoyable.

She didn’t let her guard down, though. She’d had a harsh experience once from doing that.

*BOOM!*

Another building collapsed. She felt a bit sorry for the original residents, but hey, they were saving the city in place of the lord, so please understand!

‘If I turn left here!’

In the distance, she could see the light from Eden’s fragment or Seyeon’s sword. Seeing the light move, it seemed the other side was doing well too, and she felt the end of the operation approaching.

‘Ah. I miss oppa.’

Everything is for us, and for oppa.

Yuri once again pushed off with her strong legs.

**

“I’m truly glad you’re on our side. Sincerely.”

“Hehe. I wonder how those who summoned the Hellfire Demon would feel about being defeated by fire.”

Trusting that the bait team and provocation team would handle their parts well, I instructed Subin, Soyu noona, and Yehyun noona on the “groundwork” for the entire area around where we had fought Iseratio.

The urban combat scenario with buildings and abandoned structures packed relatively densely, creating numerous narrow passages.

A limited but uninhabited area where only we and our enemies would be present.

The expected formation of those crazed magicians who would come rushing in, enraged by our bait and provocation teams.

Since the Magicanth lord hadn’t even started restoring this area, we decided to use it freely without reservation.

If the operation on the third floor was a combination of forest fire and provocation…

The theme of this operation was… DMZ (not demilitarized).

Landmines.

And claymores.

At each key point I identified, Yehyun noona used spirits to wrap Subin’s fire magic and secretly installed them in various locations on the ground and buildings.

Soyu noona was tasked with restoring their energy and triggering more than half of the claymores in chain reactions using Record Erasure.

Besides the magical landmines and claymores made of fire magic, I also set up “physical” traps that magicians wouldn’t even think of, placing them in alternating positions with the magical traps.

‘Demon slayer? Nope, not going to fight fair~’

Just because I have that grand title doesn’t mean I have any reason to face enemies several times my number head-on like some shounen manga protagonist.

‘Wait, isn’t it already fair enough to confront them all in one place instead of picking them off one by one?’

It doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not. I have no intention of abandoning my humanity, of course, but playing fair doesn’t put food on the table either.

Our safety comes first.

“There.”

“Oh. It’s like Hansel and Gretel.”

The crazed magicians, who had been following the breadcrumbs of holy power and cheap provocative comments left by our bait and provocation teams, finally approached the operation area.

“[Bait team, provocation team. Return via the previously explained route.]”

No response was necessary. They weren’t the type to forget that.

“Subin.”

“Preparations complete.”

“C-4.”

Detonation.

*KABOOOOOOM!!!*