Ch.189The Demon Awakened from the Seal (8)

# 189. The Demon Awakened from the Seal (8)

“Who are we? We are the Paelm Fortress Army! For ages, we’ve defeated countless monsters! Protected the continent! The elite of the elite!”

*Boom—!*

*Kieeeeek—!*

“And we! Are we going to entrust everything to a single adventurer party? Does that make any sense?!”

“No, it doesn’t!”

“At the very least! We shouldn’t be a hindrance!”

“That’s right!”

“So! Fight with all your might! Until death!!!”

“Uaaaaaaah!!”

“Die!!”

When the being that Veritas called “Sealed Demon” appeared, naturally the troops inside the fortress trembled with fear at the sight. Even those who had bravely faced elite monsters without losing courage were now dropping their weapons and shaking uncontrollably just from seeing the demon from afar.

It was fortunate that no one had jumped out of the fortress or fled far away—that’s how overwhelming the demon’s presence was.

However, Paelm Fortress was clearly built in preparation for this, and the fortress army consisted of elites gathered from across the continent. Although they often had friction due to differences in race, culture, nationality, and status, and despite the difficult and dangerous working environment that accumulated complaints and fatigue…!

Still.

They had pride.

Even if they weren’t as powerful as those adventurers confronting that terrifying being with all their might.

Even if they couldn’t eliminate dozens of monsters with a single spell.

They had their fortress, their comrades, and their pride.

“Paelm Fortress! Will not fall!!”

At the vice-commander’s cry filled with pride and courage that overcame fear, soldiers who had dropped their weapons and hidden in corners out of fear rose up with determination, ashamed of their cowardice.

Archers pulled their bowstrings until their fingers bled.

Mages continued their incantations while coughing blood and drinking mana potions.

Knights stood at the forefront, protecting their comrades.

Even priests with depleted holy power carried arrows, moved the wounded, threw stones, and poured oil.

A battle where lives were at stake, where the fortress’s survival hung in the balance.

“Today! History! Will forever! Remember!”

A battle where the safety of the continent was at stake.

Therefore.

“No!!”

“I’ll hold them back! Regroup while I hold the line!”

“…I’ll return as quickly as possible!”

Though death was frightening, failing to achieve victory was even more terrifying… Another knight threw himself toward the elite monster that was mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers.

**

‘A pattern that didn’t exist before.’

I had no intention of complaining about why a non-existent pattern was causing this mess. If this was indeed a bug, we were the ones who triggered it.

What worried me was that I couldn’t gauge how powerful the “Sealed Demon” would be when it expelled everything after sucking in everything around it like a vacuum cleaner in its third phase.

As always, the best option was to avoid getting hit, so as soon as the suction power decreased, I shouted at the raid members to unleash their strongest attack techniques.

The raid members must have realized it too, even without my detailed explanation. That if we left it alone, we’d be screwed.

That’s why they unleashed powerful attacks almost simultaneously as soon as I gave the order.

But was it a lack of precision, or had the powerful suction just before thrown off their balance?

Our attacks didn’t miss, but seeing that the channeling technique wasn’t interrupted, they clearly didn’t land as critical hits.

– *Disappear.*

Here it comes. And it’s a big one.

The raid members huddled together in one spot before I even said anything, just like during the dark rain pattern. Seyeon, who was at the very front, planted her shield firmly on the ground and prepared to hold steady while everyone concentrated all possible buffs on her.

My [Command: Defend] increased defense and status resistance, Sister Soyu’s area shield and single shield stacked with continuous healing, Sister Yehyun’s various elemental resistance buffs, Danya’s magical barrier after transforming from a cat to Ayor, plus Seyeon’s guard skill and self-buffs.

Seyeon was practically a mini fortress now. The rest of us huddled behind her, desperately hoping she could withstand the attack without issue.

Soon, something like a breath attack from the Sealed Demon began pouring toward us.

*Kwaaaaaaaa——!!*

“Nngh…!”

“[Heal! Heal! Heal!]”

“I’m… giving… it!”

“Fuck, fuck! Sis! Hold on! You have to hold on!”

Right after the breath collided with Seyeon’s shield, I heard Sister Soyu’s area shield break. Although area shields generally provide less protection, it broke in less than a second, which gave me an idea of the breath’s power… and not long after, the single shield broke too. Then Danya’s magical barrier shattered.

“[Shield!]”

“Not yet!”

“Uuuaaaaa–!!”

Because the shields broke too quickly, Sister Soyu bit her lip, saying they were still on cooldown. While Sister Soyu’s shields and heals were on cooldown, Seyeon had to endure with her own strength, even with my buffs applied.

That was a tank’s duty, but… it was still painful to watch.

“Protect her!”

Sister Soyu cast another shield on Seyeon as the cooldown finished. Seyeon’s screams stopped momentarily. Meanwhile, Danya, blood dripping from her mouth, was concentrating on deploying another magical barrier, while Subin was trying to reduce the breath’s power with powerful magic, and Sister Yehyun was even prepared to forcibly unsummon her precious spirits.

‘At this rate.’

The area was devastated just from the remnants that bounced off Seyeon’s shield. Even Iseratior couldn’t maintain a single attack for this long. This meant that this powerful attack couldn’t continue forever. The monsters it had absorbed earlier wouldn’t serve as “fuel” indefinitely.

So I calculated. And I dared to judge that the time it spent absorbing fuel earlier would be equal to or greater than the time it would spend expelling it.

The basis?

The expulsion force was stronger than the absorption force. Much stronger.

Plus, it didn’t seem particularly skilled at handling magical power.

So I asked Subin.

“[Subin! How many seconds was the absorption state?]”

“Probably 66 seconds! Plus or minus 3 seconds!”

“[And now?]”

“15! 16!”

My respect to the pinnacle of sorcery who could count accurate time even in this extreme situation.

Looking at Seyeon’s back as she stubbornly endured despite her body convulsing, I issued a new order.

“[Subin, Yehyun. Strongest attack possible, by any means.]”

“[15.]”

“[14.]”

“[13.]”

We couldn’t just endure indefinitely since we couldn’t be certain this breath was a one-time pattern. Even though phases 1 and 2 passed easily, we were facing a demon. This was truly a do-or-die moment.

While the tank and healer line somehow endured, and Subin and Sister Yehyun concentrated without blinking after receiving my order, the power of the breath tormenting Seyeon intensified further.

“Seyeon!!!”

Was it mocking my hypothesis that it would run out of fuel? Or had the Sealed Demon poured in more magical power after seeing Seyeon’s stubborn resistance?

“[5.]”

We would know in a few seconds.

“[4.]”

Meanwhile, a flame spear that looked ready to pierce through the breath was wavering precariously above Subin’s head.

“[3.]”

Sister Yehyun’s wind and fire spirits were circling around her as she contorted her face.

“[2.]”

Subin was trying to control the flame spear somehow, and Sister Yehyun’s two spirits seemed to melt into it. Tears streamed down Sister Yehyun’s tightly closed eyes.

“[1.]”

Finally, the flame spear, its position barely stabilized with the help of the two spirits, was waiting for my command.

“[Fire.]”

Like a salmon swimming upstream, Subin’s flame spear with the two spirits melded into it began to cut through the Sealed Demon’s breath in reverse.

“Sunghyun!”

“[What!]”

“It’s weakening!”

“[Good!]”

As the flame spear got closer to the Sealed Demon, the power of the breath was noticeably weakening.

Even without seeing an HP bar like in a game, just by comparing how quickly Sister Soyu’s shields were breaking, it was obvious.

Whether it was because the Sealed Demon’s magical power was depleting, or because of Subin’s flame spear that she was still intensely focusing on, or both, wasn’t clear.

But what was clear was that this was the situation I had hoped for, and there was only one thing for us to do now.

“[Its attack will stop soon!]”

“[We’ll seize that moment!]”

“[Advance with the flame spear!]”

[[You have activated ‘Command: Charge’.]]

As the flame spear advanced, we moved forward into the space where the breath’s power had weakened. Our advance itself pressured the Sealed Demon and pushed back the remnants of the breath, helping the flame spear’s progress.

Once momentum built up, the flame spear’s penetration speed increased, and soon its tip reached right in front of the Sealed Demon.

The flame spear, which seemed poised to pierce through the Sealed Demon in one go, was maintaining a precarious balance of forces, apparently unable to immediately penetrate the main body.

– *How can mere humans…*

The Sealed Demon showed bewilderment for the first time.

– *I thought you would be mere fertilizer for my existence.*

No, you’re wrong.

You’re just a nameless demon who woke from a seal only to die.

Not pitiful at all.

“[Attack!]”

Therefore.

“Die you bastaaaaard–!!!”

Toward the Sealed Demon focused on defending against the flame spear, our beloved barbarian, who had been holding back until now, made a great leap forward in rage over her injured sister, disregarding all defense.

As Yuri said, it’s time for you to die.