Ch.21Ep.21 Disappearance

“Commander!!!”

Somewhere in a secret underground location.

A man wearing an eyepatch over his lost eye called out to the commander with an excited voice.

The commander, who had been dozing off, frowned and asked the one-eyed man.

“What is it now… Didn’t you say demons appeared not long ago?”

“He’s back!! He’s back!!!”

“So what exactly has returned–“

The flushed face and the words filled with uncontainable joy.

The commander knew.

The Guardian Spirit that had been disbanded three years ago by that person’s order had returned.

“Is it true? Is that… really true?”

“Yes! The apostle of Tulcha… Patrick has been killed! There’s no doubt! He has returned!”

“He really… has returned?”

Drip.

Tears fell from the commander’s eyes.

How long had she waited.

How much had she missed him.

She always thought.

If only she had noticed even a little that Serena had betrayed them that day.

Would things have been different?

Because she regretted it, because she didn’t want to live in hiding like this anymore.

The commander of the Liberation Group.

No, Tiaran Darkmoon, commander of the 3rd Corps of the Guardian Spirit, rose from her seat and declared.

“Members of the Liberation Group!! Our captain, Radios Magnum, has returned! Today is the last day we’ll be hiding and inciting rebellion!! We will!!! Return to the Guardian Spirit!!”

“Woooooaaah!”

A thunderous cheer swept through the underground cavern.

How many comrades had they lost during these three years?

But now there would be no more meaningless sacrifices.

The eternal captain, Radios Magnum, had returned.

It was time to judge the otherworlders who had occupied Kadinant.

“We head to Noslet! Everyone follow me!!”

With Tiaran’s declaration.

About 300 members of the Liberation Group.

The former elite Guardian Spirit soldiers of the 3rd Corps began to move to welcome Radios.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones moving.

Many Kadinant natives who had been hiding in the shadows for covert operations.

Upon hearing that the Guardian Spirit had returned, they all headed toward Noslet.

Their goal had completely changed from the past.

There were no people united to protect Kadinant.

Only vengeful spirits who had been hiding after defeat swarmed about.

Like this.

The news of the Guardian Spirit’s return quickly became a sensation that shook the entire Kadinant.

***

So where are Radios and his group who created such tremendous waves?

“…I didn’t expect we’d come here again.”

“When I think about it, isn’t this place more suitable for hiding than the ruins of Hermes Temple?”

“That’s true, but…”

Arsia shook her head as if she had a headache.

No wonder, because the place Radios headed to was none other than the Demonic Prison.

Even Brina seemed slightly dumbfounded, as if she hadn’t expected to return here so quickly.

But Radios was confident that hiding in the Demonic Prison would ensure they wouldn’t be discovered.

“Think about it. Even if it’s them, would they even suspect that the Guardian Spirit formed an alliance with demons?”

“I guess… They wouldn’t think of invading the troublemakers’ headquarters. And while we’re safe from monsters thanks to Brina, it would be different for the otherworlders.”

Even if they knew Radios was in the Demonic Prison, they couldn’t invade.

Not if they didn’t want to fight the demons.

As he said, the Demonic Prison was the most suitable place to go into hiding.

It also had the advantage of having a vast area available for secluded training.

“We’ll hide here for three months. This will both put our enemies on alert… and give us an opportunity to rally our comrades.”

Guardian Spirit comrades scattered throughout the country.

They will surely gather at Noslet.

There’s nothing to fear.

Radios had copied Patrick’s skill, the Green Flame Sphere, and added the power of jade flame to create a new skill called the Jade Flame Sphere.

Now he’s difficult to face even without the Sword of Judgment.

Unless the three major sects of the Outer God move directly, he won’t be caught.

The probability of the gathered remnants of the Guardian Spirit dying?

Not even worth considering.

Because the demons are causing incidents everywhere.

Brina had told him about two incidents.

The so-called Mass Apostle Killing incident.

Sneaking into every house in Westlet, viciously cursing the apostles, and then escaping elsewhere.

It was a very one-dimensional attack, but the unrest it caused was surprisingly significant.

The next incident was even bigger.

The so-called Armband Hacking incident.

Hacking into the sect’s broadcast frequency, singing the Demon March song, and invariably saying:

[From this moment on, this place is ruled by the Demon Minor Gallery. Like if you agree, lol]

And then disappearing.

All these incidents didn’t just happen briefly.

They occurred unexpectedly, at unpredictable times.

The Outer God sect must be having quite a headache.

After all, dealing with lunatics is the hardest thing to do.

Hades hasn’t yet mentioned anything about the Great Old One, or about elevating Elysse.

That’s why these next three months will be a crucial time.

“Arsia. You focus only on regaining your prime abilities. And Brina, you’ll train with me.”

“What?”

“You’re strong. But you need to correct unnecessary postures because you don’t know how to use your power.”

Of course, she might find the concept of deliberately avoiding attacks awkward and unnecessary.

After all, she was a demon.

Even if parts of her body were cut off, they would recover quickly, so she might not understand the concept of dodging.

“But I’ve been in a demon’s body too, so I know. If a demon learns the skill of evasion… it literally creates an insane fighter.”

“I-I see…”

Brina looked ominously at Radios’s eyes burning with enthusiasm.

A feeling that a path of hardship was about to open?

Anyway, the goals for the seclusion period were set.

Radios would train himself while supervising Brina’s training.

Arsia would regain her prime strength as quickly as possible.

Brina would learn the concept of evasion.

Now that the goals were set, it was time to begin.

“Brina. Full power, or a matched fight. Which should we start with?”

“Full power, of course. I won’t die, so don’t worry.”

“Really? Then…”

Whoosh.

As Radios raised his true form, the Demonic Prison transformed into the Underworld, and the Order emanating from him began to change.

“Demon Mask.”

Radios, transformed into a demon’s body, exuded an even heavier pressure.

‘That is… the strongest human…’

Brina felt goosebumps rising at the killing intent emanating from Radios.

It was on a different level.

It felt like seeing one of her own kind.

But separate from that, her heart was pounding.

Because she had been looking forward to fighting against such a powerful opponent.

“Then–“

Boom!!

Just as she was adjusting her posture with excitement.

Brina was sent flying, coughing up dark red blood from the terrible pain inflicted on her solar plexus.

“Was conversation necessary for a fight?”

“Ugh… No need for words!”

Brina, who had allowed the unexpected strike, quickly healed her body and rushed toward Radios.

But to Radios, it was all too clear.

All he could see in Brina, who was rushing in relying on her body’s speed, were weaknesses, nothing but weaknesses.

“This seems like it’s going to be a difficult journey.”

“..! Aaaaargh!!”

Radios deliberately overwhelmed Brina to show her the gap between them.

She was literally helpless, allowing his attacks.

Although she regenerated her body, movement was impossible.

Radios deactivated his skill and looked down at her collapsed form, saying coldly.

“Now you understand what I mean? Evasion is important.”

“Ugh… I can’t even move a finger…”

“Of course. The pain accumulated in your body has probably exceeded your cognitive limit.”

Another weakness of Brina’s.

Her almost non-existent resistance to pain.

It’s fortunate that she was born a monster.

With this level of pain tolerance, if compared to humans, she’d be at the level of crying from just a slight cut.

“Let’s call it a day for now. This was just a skill test.”

“Ugh… but there’s something thrilling about this feeling?”

“Huh?”

“Like, I feel like I can’t move my body because of the pain… but separately from that, something’s making me twitch.”

He couldn’t understand what she meant.

Looking back at Arsia, she seemed equally clueless.

Anyway, Radios supported Brina and took her into the house to lay her down.

The damage must have been significant, so bathing would be difficult.

But then.

“Can’t you help me bathe? I’m too exhausted.”

“…I don’t want to get arrested.”

“Arrested? What do you mean, brother Las?”

Leaving Brina talking nonsense behind him.

Radios opened the door and went outside, telling her to rest comfortably.

Oh, where is this place?

It’s the demon village.

The reason they could fight so intensely earlier was because he had used the Sword of Judgment skill to summon the Underworld.

It was possible because he had covered the demon village with it.

Otherwise, the village would have been completely destroyed.

“Wasn’t that too harsh? She’s still a child.”

“…Arsia. She doesn’t seem to be as young as you think.”

“What?”

She tilted her head at Radios’s puzzling words.

Arsia truly saw Brina as a child.

Pure and innocent.

Of course, Radios had thought so too.

But after the sexual joke incident, Radios began to see Brina differently.

She probably knows more about that kind of thing than Arsia does.

Despite looking like someone who wouldn’t know anything.

“So don’t worry. If she were the type to get discouraged from being pushed like this, I wouldn’t have started in the first place.”

“I-I see.”

“Anyway, I’m going to do some reconnaissance. I still don’t know what state the Demonic Prison is in except for the demon village.”

Radios left the demon village after saying that.

Arsia watched his retreating figure before entering the house.

“Where’s brother Las?”

“He went out for reconnaissance again. It’s really becoming like an illness.”

“Just make a move on him. It’s not like you don’t have those feelings.”

At Brina’s direct question, Arsia pressed her lips together.

As Brina said, she was full of thoughts about confessing.

But.

“If I bring that up… it would be an even greater burden for him.”

Whether he accepted or rejected, she didn’t want to burden him more.

Even if her feelings for him completely disappeared.

It would be better if they disappeared, rather than becoming a burden.

How could she add to his burdens when she couldn’t even lighten them?

“The captain has it hard. Probably even more than I think… I don’t have the courage to ask him to endure more. That’s all…”

Arsia smiled with a sorrowful face.