Ch.190The Demon King. (6)

At the moment when pitch-black light burst from Olivia’s eyes, space and time began to shatter and collapse piece by piece.

The halo floating above Olivia’s head also lost its radiance and started emitting an ominous black light.

Asmodeus’s gaze wavered for the first time, realizing that something was going terribly wrong.

“What… is this…?”

Originally, the magical power pulsating around Olivia was incomparably pure. This peculiarity was possible because her mental state itself served as a purifying force. But that was precisely why she had been so easily corrupted by Asmodeus’s demonic energy.

After all, a pure white canvas is easily stained.

But now, the energy pulsating in Olivia’s heart was…

“How can a human like you…!!”

“Demonic energy isn’t something only demons and magical beasts can possess.”

Olivia swallowed the blood that rose in her throat. Excruciating pain was pouring from every organ in her body.

“If the conditions are met… witches can use it too.”

Borrowing demonic energy from contracted demons and using it as material for casting magic—that was the magical system witches commonly employed.

But Olivia’s demonic energy wasn’t borrowed from someone else.

Converting all the magical power stored in her body into an equal amount of demonic energy—a miracle.

It was such a horrific act that even magicians who didn’t believe in gods would call it heresy, but this was the only option left.

“Abandoning everything I’ve built up until now, preparing to be condemned by everyone, and possessing understanding that transcends at least two ranks…”

Olivia smiled.

“Only then can one even attempt it. It’s absurd. Creating a medium…”

Though Asmodeus had just heard confirmation from Olivia’s own lips, he still couldn’t believe her words.

How could he believe it? Creating demonic energy on her own? Without sacrificing a soul? Without offering human sacrifices…

Creating a medium is something only gods can do. Even magicians who have transcended boundaries can only use the world itself as a vessel, but they cannot create mana itself.

The same applies to great demons and even the Demon Lord.

Their vessels for receiving demonic energy may have grown larger, but they cannot create demonic energy itself.

Asmodeus gritted his teeth. He needed to figure out how she had accomplished this feat. Olivia was bleeding all over her body, and even now, she was showing vulnerability.

Asmodeus quickly made his decision. He shaped his demonic energy into dual blades.

Just as he closed the distance with Olivia, becoming like a gust of wind—

KWAAANG!

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Olivia moved naturally, driving her elbow into Asmodeus’s waist.

“Kuhak…!”

With a heavy sound, Asmodeus was slammed into the ground. Unable to withstand the recoil, his body bounced up, leaving him unable to counter the follow-up attack.

KWAAANG!

Asmodeus’s body was flung back dozens of meters, but in an instant, he appeared behind Olivia.

“Do you think anything will change just because you’ve switched mediums?!”

KAGAGAGAK!

Small wounds began appearing all over Olivia’s body. Though Asmodeus was laughing maniacally on the outside, his blade movements told a different story.

Not only did he target openings with elegant movements, but he also made dozens of spatial leaps to pressure Olivia.

A killing blade focused entirely on humiliating and slaying the opponent.

The moment she showed an opening, her entire body would be skewered.

“When you don’t even know how to handle demonic energy!”

Olivia was focusing solely on evasion. Asmodeus thought this was only natural. No matter how genius a magician she might be, controlling demonic energy wasn’t something one could master in just a day or two.

Olivia’s regeneration speed was too slow—so slow that it could be compared to that of low-level magical beasts.

The corners of Asmodeus’s mouth twitched upward.

“Just as I thought.”

If Olivia had truly created demonic energy through her own abilities, her regenerative abilities wouldn’t be so pathetic.

Of course. What just happened was merely the result of coincidences piling up.

Having gained certainty, Asmodeus began to giggle again.

His narrowed field of vision returned to normal.

“I won’t kill you quickly. You see, I was truly frightened for a moment, brief as it was.”

The humiliation of feeling fear toward a mere human. He needed to vent the anger born from that humiliation somehow.

CHWAK!

He beheaded a giant magical beast that had been fighting the Holy Knights nearby, then squeezed its still-beating heart to extract its demonic energy.

As the giant magical beast turned to ash, a sharp scream came from behind him. It wasn’t born of fear.

The corners of Asmodeus’s mouth twitched upward. Yes, this was more like it.

“We should have an audience, shouldn’t we?”

Asmodeus wasn’t satisfied with simply killing Olivia. Complete despair. He wanted to make her beg for her life and condemn her to eternal suffering.

The first step was to make all other humans see her corrupted form.

That’s why he had annihilated all the giant magical beasts at once. By killing them, humans would be able to see Olivia’s state.

Not far away, he could see the Saintess. The Saintess, who had remained unwavering even when surrounded by thousands of magical beasts, widened her eyes and screamed desperately the moment she made eye contact with Olivia.

She struggled to approach, tearing through magical beasts, but there were too many, and all she could do was watch.

Asmodeus’s body trembled. The ecstasy of destroying bonds that humans had built over a lifetime in an instant.

Exhilarating.

“How does it feel? To have your shame exposed to everyone?”

Wings stained black. A halo emitting an ominous light…

Now no one would be able to deny that Olivia had fallen.

*****

“…Cough!”

Kiel had momentarily lost consciousness from Asmodeus’s attack.

‘How long have I been like this?’

He had thought it was an attack he could block sufficiently, but Asmodeus’s strike had come half a beat faster.

The price for allowing Asmodeus’s attack was steep. His aura had been half-consumed by the Demon Lord’s demonic energy, and the maddening pain made it difficult to even stand up.

Tuk.

Even at this moment, Olivia would be fighting alone.

His legs wouldn’t listen. Even when he tried to stand, his strength gave out as if broken. Kiel gritted his teeth.

Hadn’t he sworn to protect her?

KWAJIK!

Kiel gripped the handle tightly. He drove his heart blade into the ground and somehow managed to stand, using it as support.

Olivia would find an answer this time too. She always did. Even if the opponent was an enemy who couldn’t be killed by conventional methods.

All he had to do was protect Olivia thoroughly.

Then they could win. If he could just do that—

Someone was standing before him.

The person he had vowed to protect.

When he faced Olivia, a sharp sound escaped Kiel’s lips.

“…Ah.”

Kiel looked at Olivia with trembling eyes. Her wings, which had always shone with brilliant colors, were now fluttering lifelessly, having lost their light.

Her magical power, her magical power.

‘…I can’t feel it.’

Kiel’s pupils trembled.

The energy emanating from Olivia’s body was no different from Asmodeus’s.

He almost dropped his sword.

“Oh my, the male protagonist has arrived.”

Kiel glared at Asmodeus with reddened eyes.

“But what can you do? The person you’re looking for has crossed a river from which there’s no return.”

“…”

Kiel’s expression changed. It was pure anger itself.

If only he had been stronger.

If only he had the power to protect Olivia.

…This wouldn’t have happened.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t corrupt her. It was entirely her own doing…”

At that moment, something snapped inside Kiel.

Kiel slowly rose to his feet.

“Asmodeus…”

The aura in his heart began to boil.

He wanted to tear that vicious tongue to pieces right now.

That smile, those corners of the mouth, that face…!

Kiel slowly raised his head. His face, which had always been calm, was now distorted like a demon’s.

PPAJIJIIIIK!

The eerie aura flowing down his forearm not only colored the surroundings but also vibrated violently.

He aimed his sword, forged from his mental image compressed to its limit, at Asmodeus. Until now, it had been a sword to protect someone, but this time was different.

A sword created solely to kill the opponent, hundreds or thousands of times over.

This time seemed difficult to overlook easily, and just as Asmodeus also gathered his demonic energy and took a stance—

Someone stepped in front of Kiel, blocking his way.

The first thing visible was the massive wings with an obsidian-like luster.

Though the energy she emitted and the color of her eyes had changed, her unique presence remained the same.

“…Olivia?”

“I told you not to come.”

Olivia smiled as she met Kiel’s gaze, which was staring at her blankly.

“Kiel, I have a favor to ask.”

“It doesn’t matter. Tell me anything.”

“Really? Then…”

Olivia placed her hand on Kiel’s chest, then pushed him away forcefully.

“…Olivia?”

As Kiel fell back with an incredulous expression—

“Wait for me there.”

A barrier made of demonic energy appeared, separating Olivia and Kiel.

From beyond the barrier came a desperate sound.

Pounding madly, wailing…

Olivia looked in Kiel’s direction, then turned away without hesitation.

“Huhu, wouldn’t it be better if you fought together?”

“No.”

Olivia slowly shook her head.

The notification that had just appeared before her eyes:

[The returner, ‘Kiel Rothschild,’ reaches the end of his sword.]

At last, all preparations were complete.