Ch.164Demon Lord Belphegor (3)

# Demon Lord Belphegor (3)

The first thing the hero party encountered after escaping from the spider web maze that began to drain and wash away was the moment when Legion Commander First was piercing through Lacrima’s heart.

To be honest, they didn’t know what was happening.

‘What’s certain is…’

Lacrima with her heart pierced.

Beside her, Robeno kneeling down, looking at Lacrima with a dazed expression, his body in tatters.

And First looking down at Robeno with a puzzled expression.

‘This isn’t a good situation…’

Everything was at its worst.

Putting aside the fact that they had chased after the escaped Lacrima, her heart was pierced without any time for explanation.

And Robeno was looking down at Lacrima while First was looking down at Robeno.

It was difficult to hastily judge who was an enemy and who was an ally.

Right now, there was a high probability that Robeno didn’t know about the agreement between Lacrima and Esmeralda.

There hadn’t been enough time to explain it, and even if there had been, it was uncertain whether he would have understood.

However, one thing was certain…

“Hero, Esmeralda… I heard you died, but I guess that wasn’t the case. Second, your wounds are severe, so I’ll take over here.”

The fact that Legion Commander First was undoubtedly an enemy.

Esmeralda drew her holy sword the moment she made eye contact with him.

And then…

“Kugh?!”

As if struck by something invisible from the raised holy sword, Esmeralda had to roll on the ground from the intense impact.

When Esmeralda raised her head again after rolling on the ground, and the other party members began to take their respective positions.

[Name: First]

[Race: Vampire] [Title: Legion Commander, Transcendent, Demigod]

[Trait List]

Blood Flow Manipulation Lv. 179

Mist Transformation Lv. 72

Blood Heaven Lv. 8

.

.

.

[Total Estimated Level: 2706]

Esmeralda was certain that Legion Commander First had definitely transcended the category of a mere living being.

Could they win against him?

‘If I can’t defeat this one, I’ll never even reach the Demon Lord!’

She didn’t think about it.

She didn’t discuss possibilities.

She just acted. If she couldn’t do it, she wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything in the first place.

Esmeralda calmly raised her sword, and First looked at her with an expressionless face and raised his hand.

Esmeralda could see droplets of blood forming at his fingertips.

‘With just that small amount of blood…’

It was a brutal impact that felt like it could make her sword-wielding hand fall off.

The impact delivered by just a single drop of blood.

Considering that Blood Flow Manipulation, a common power of vampires, increases in power according to the amount of blood, it was already disheartening.

“Millia, focus on defense with Eirene.”

“…Okay.”

Normally, Millia should provide fire support from the rear.

However, she felt that First’s attacks couldn’t be blocked by Eirene’s barrier alone.

A bleak situation. Nevertheless, as Esmeralda was determined to somehow twist her body to attack First.

“You… What have you done…?”

Robeno, who had been blankly looking down at the fallen Lacrima, came to his senses and muttered as if in despair.

It was too sudden.

It was a terrible tragedy.

First’s sudden appearance, his nonchalant actions, and the calm voice that followed.

Yes, he doesn’t know. Despite fighting together in the Demon Lord’s army for so long, he couldn’t even imagine what Lacrima meant to Robeno.

A vampire devoid of emotions.

An outcast within a race closer to a monster than a demon. Thinking of that monster as a comrade even for a moment was the problem.

No, that’s not it.

The reason Robeno was angry now wasn’t just because of that.

The target of his anger was…

Himself for letting his guard down.

“Ha!”

Robeno let out a hollow laugh.

Then he quietly embraced Lacrima who had fallen to the ground.

Life spreading red in the puddle of water on the floor.

It was a fatal wound.

Yes, Lacrima is dying. With this level of injury, regeneration is impossible.

“Hahahahaha! This is why I didn’t like you… you damn monster pretending to be human.”

“Can you stand up? Second.”

As Robeno stood up, he simultaneously swung his claws toward First.

However, First easily avoided the attack with just a slight tilt of his head and muttered as if he still couldn’t understand.

“What does this mean?”

***

Robeno attacked First. How should this be interpreted?

[Total Estimated Level: 2001]

Esmeralda could tell from the information before her eyes that Robeno had crossed the wall.

A realm that Shiva couldn’t reach even if he devoted his entire life. It meant he had succeeded in standing on the same stage as First.

Then it’s a good thing.

It means effective combat power has joined.

But Esmeralda couldn’t guarantee if it was really a good thing.

“Are you confused? Second. It would be better to calm down.”

“Shut up and die! You damn monster!”

“I don’t understand.”

Just by looking at First’s response, who didn’t understand Robeno’s anger and was perplexed, it was clear.

Robeno was no match for First. Even if they were in the same realm, he was still far below.

Moreover, his physical condition wasn’t good, so he could only struggle in vain.

“First… Do you even know who you killed? You just killed Lacrima.”

“Lacrima? I don’t know. Who are you referring to? Did I accidentally kill one of your subordinates? Then I apologize. I was also in a hurry.”

“Lacrima refers to Third. You really didn’t have even a bit of interest in us…!”

“Third? Wasn’t it you who struck him down? Not killing him completely was your mistake, not mine. I rather think I cleaned up your mistake.”

“Shut up!!”

A chill ran down everyone’s spine.

Everyone present could understand.

First seemed genuinely clueless.

No, it’s not that he’s clueless. He simply doesn’t understand.

A monster pretending to be human.

Truly an apt assessment.

“Why don’t you stop? If it’s a ranking battle, I can accommodate you later. But remember, we’re at war now. Second. Stay focused on the mission.”

“Ha…! Hahahahaha!”

First, who easily blocked Robeno’s sharp strike by twisting his wrist, said with a calm expression.

“Why do you follow the Demon Lord?”

“…?”

“I asked why you, who doesn’t even understand emotions, follow the Demon Lord.”

“Isn’t that obvious? I simply follow the rule of power.”

“So you’ve been pretending. Forcing yourself into ill-fitting clothes called rules.”

“…”

Despite Robeno’s harsh words, First only tilted his head, showing no signs of anger or displeasure.

“I see. Should I consider this as betrayal on your part? It seems that not killing Third initially wasn’t a mistake after all.”

“The betrayal was yours, First. You never had any justification or belief to participate in this war from the beginning!”

Robeno repeated attacks that wouldn’t connect.

First avoided all those attacks by just slightly moving his body and could inflict fatal wounds on Robeno just by extending his hand.

And at that point.

Clang!

Esmeralda made her decision.

And having made her decision, she immediately intervened between the two.

It was beyond walking on thin ice. Just by stepping between the two, she had to risk her life.

“Get lost, hero. I don’t have time to play with you now.”

“You don’t understand your position.”

“Well, it’s certainly awkward being between such powerful individuals.”

A mortal between two transcendents. It’s like a shrimp getting crushed in a whale fight.

Normally, it would have been better to wait until the fight between the two transcendents ended and then seek an opportunity.

But Esmeralda didn’t do that. She already knew the outcome of this battle.

Robeno would fail to achieve his revenge and suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of First.

He might be able to inflict some wounds by risking his life.

But Robeno would die.

Worthlessly, without achieving anything, dying in resentment.

“But what can I do?”

Then Esmeralda asks.

Who is the aggrieved one?

Who is the relative underdog?

Who needs salvation?

“I am the hero after all.”

It goes without saying.

Esmeralda decided to help Robeno. She wouldn’t abandon her beliefs no matter what the outcome might be.

That’s what this journey was for. That’s what she had been fighting all kinds of injustices for.

“Eirene!”

“Yes?”

Esmeralda shouted.

Winning wasn’t the goal.

Esmeralda’s goal was to save. To save those who are suffering, the relative underdogs who can’t resolve their grievances.

Even if she couldn’t understand their pain, she wouldn’t ignore their suffering.

“Take Lacrima and treat her!”

Esmeralda immediately picked up Lacrima who was sprawled on the floor and threw her towards Eirene.

“Aaaah?! How can you throw a patient?!”

Eirene caught Lacrima in a fluster. More precisely, she grabbed Lacrima who was slowly floating down with Millia’s magic.

“Second. Well, we may not be acquainted, but let me say this without shame. We’ll try to save Lacrima. We have a quite capable healer.”

“…”

“So help us attack First. Together with us.”

At the audacious request, Robeno narrowed his eyes.

Even without Esmeralda asking for help, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight First.

He had already decided this place would be his grave.

But that’s why Esmeralda’s proposal resonated with him.

If she had stayed still, she could have achieved a better outcome.

Yet she took the difficult path and asked for help.

She humbled herself and jumped into the line of fire to save someone.

“Alright…”

Robeno quietly stood near Esmeralda and glared at First.

“I’ll trust you this once.”

It meant he accepted the proposal.

It was positioning for a joint attack.

Esmeralda raised the corners of her mouth at the reassuring presence beside her.

Since coming to the demon realm, Esmeralda had realized something.

“Ah! This feels reassuring.”

Demons also cry when sad and laugh when happy…

Yes, they were people worth risking her life to protect.