Ch.232232. Devil Hunt

Though confusing, I could understand the situation without much difficulty.

In the midst of a rebellion, we appeared, and the one who instigated it was probably Elenoa.

[Seeing that Learic is here, it’s likely this was all part of his grand scheme. He’s the type who tries to control situations wherever he goes.]

“I agree.”

Just as Vellica said, I also thought that even Elenoa was ultimately dancing in the palm of Learic’s hand.

“Conserve your strength as much as possible. In the end, you and I will have to face him.”

It would be standard for fellow archdemons to face each other. If Aria joined in as well, it would be much easier.

“If possible, you and I will finish this.”

[I don’t want to borrow strength from other bitches either.]

I didn’t want to create a situation where Aria would have to fight again. Especially since she lost Duatein after cutting down Romuleus last time, so she didn’t even have a weapon now.

[But can we get through here?]

The princes and soldiers of the German Kingdom were engrossed in battle, covered in madness and excitement.

The battle didn’t look like it would end easily. I thought we’d need to either go around or break through.

“I should at least say hello.”

Snap!

The sound of fingers snapping echoed through the night sky. The ominousness from Learic’s fingertips became reality and came to us as if it were only natural.

Strange beings rising from the shadows of the German Kingdom soldiers who were in the midst of battle.

“W-what is thiiis!”

“Aaaaargh!”

“P-Prince!”

Screams erupted.

Those who had been swinging swords at each other and trying to take lives just moments ago were now united in begging for their lives.

But the shadows devoured them without mercy.

Now turned into dull black soldiers without any color, they naturally turned their heads toward us.

“Ah, can’t we ever have an easy day?”

Findenai sighed as she pulled out her axe. Despite her words, I could see she was slightly excited about using the silver axe in her hand.

Baekseol (White Snow).

It was the axe I gave her in place of Bangbu, an item we received from the Griffin royal treasury while resolving the Romuleus incident.

It wasn’t the axe she usually used, but a halberd, though I brought a weapon of similar length in memory of Bangbu.

Findenai accepted it with great satisfaction.

“I’ll clear a path quickly.”

With a grin, she put a cigarette in her mouth. Thinking I should allow her this during battle, I quietly moved away to escape the smoke.

“Phew.”

As she blew out cigarette smoke and gradually drew up her mana, the White Snow in her hand responded, spreading a cold mist widely across the ground.

“I think I can now understand what the owner said when he gave me this.”

On her hand was the Blood Claw’s Hand.

On her feet were the War Shoes.

The axe she held was Baekseol (White Snow).

“Did he say I could now exert my full power?”

Feeling good, Findenai swung Baekseol in the air. The smoke emanating from all directions naturally concealed her body.

“I get it now.”

Whoosh!

With a final burst of smoke from the War Shoes propelling her forward.

Boom!

She broke through the enemy formation with a heavy strike and dug inside.

What followed was like the rampage of a beast that had crossed the village fence.

“Kyahaaaaa!”

Just like Elenoa.

A woman who proudly served as a chapter boss in the game Retry.

A wolf who reveals her strength the longer the battle continues, so she needs to be dealt with quickly using high firepower.

Now.

“That’s the Findenai I know.”

As I calmly commented on Findenai who was rampaging like a fish in water, Aria beside me scratched the back of her head.

“She seems much stronger than when I faced her in the first playthrough.”

She had gone through many incidents with me, and her equipment was much better than during her boss days.

In fact, she had long surpassed the original Findenai from the source material.

“Let’s go.”

A path was already being cleared as Findenai tore through. Even though they were under Learic’s spell, the soldiers’ abilities themselves seemed to remain intact.

I, Aria, and Deia started running.

As we did, I glanced at the soldiers who had fallen to the shadows, but it didn’t seem like particularly impressive magic.

“Learic himself is weaker than you might think.”

Aria’s assertion, having already faced him once at the general store. In fact, she had almost won against Learic back then, fighting barehanded without a sword.

She was only driven out because of the store’s characteristics.

“However, his fighting style is so unique that it’s tricky. Last time, I could push him in the confined space of the general store, but in an open place like this…”

Being such an elusive entity, he doesn’t fight head-on with dignity.

True to the name of deception, he enjoys playing with his opponents, hiding and deceiving his own appearance.

For him, these kinds of battles must also be a form of pleasure.

“I know.”

I’m well aware.

Rather, living in a place called Mongma-jeon, I’ve come to know his methods all too well.

The basic premise is to doubt everything.

When fighting him, one had to approach it like solving a puzzle or a problem rather than a battle.

“Don’t worry.”

I wonder if I’ve ever looked forward to a decisive battle with someone this much.

I’ve thought over and over about how to fight Learic if I ever faced him again.

I didn’t expect the opportunity to come so quickly.

Hearing my answer, Aria nodded with a bright smile.

“It’s been so long since I actually didn’t worry when someone told me not to worry!”

“What are you talking about.”

Deia, who had been listening indifferently from behind, reached an intersection and immediately raised her shotgun high.

Bang!

A bullet fired toward Learic.

However, despite the fierce firing sound, Learic dodged them with remarkable fluidity.

Dodging the bullets, Learic naturally jumped through a window and fell to the first floor. Deia’s shotgun continued to spit fire at him, but it only managed to distract his attention.

“That’s the problem with guns. They’re too weak.”

It was a view quite different from guns in the previous world, but it wasn’t wrong.

They still don’t have enough firepower to penetrate a knight’s body or a mage’s shield.

“Uwaaaaah!”

Learic falling to the first floor meant he was getting closer to Elenoa.

Elenoa, who had been shouting boldly, desperately swung the 3rd Prince’s sword to threaten him.

“How cute.”

“Ugh!”

Learic approached Elenoa slowly with a relaxed smile.

And I couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“Vellica.”

[Already?]

Though she said that, Vellica infused fierce mana into my right hand, saying she had been waiting.

My hand turned black, and within it was an ominous presence of something alive and breathing.

“I’ll go first.”

The path already cleared by Findenai.

I put strength into my right hand and charged forward.

It felt more like being pulled by my right arm rather than me taking the initiative to run.

My body was already starting to creak, unable to withstand the speed, but.

Learic, who had grabbed Elenoa from behind as if by sleight of hand, was caught by the nape of his neck in my right hand.

“Huh?”

A speed even Learic hadn’t anticipated. I separated him from Elenoa and put strength into my right hand to break his neck.

Crack!

[How many times have we killed him now?]

Vellica snickered, but as her words suggested, this couldn’t be considered killing Learic.

His body went limp.

However, as it began to swell up as if it had been waiting, I immediately kicked it away and embraced Elenoa.

“Oh my, in a place like this?”

I stopped her as she tried to put her hands around my waist with a strange moan.

“It’s going to explode.”

Boom!

As if on cue with my words, Learic’s body exploded, and the flames that burst from it spread throughout the palace.

The buildings, being adjacent to the Sahar Desert, were resistant to heat.

Thanks to that, they didn’t catch fire easily, but the magical flames spread everywhere like mites.

As I slowly released Elenoa, she grumbled, seemingly displeased.

“Oh, you hugged me because it was dangerous? I thought it was the joy of reunion or something.”

“As if!”

Aria and Deia were running behind me. Especially Aria, who kept pecking at Elenoa, saying it was frustrating.

“Why were you trying to hug the professor when he was just trying to protect you?”

“…Tch, I was just happy to see him after a long time.”

“The professor? Happy to see you? When he has such a cute and adorable student sticking right by his side?”

“You’re so flat he probably didn’t even notice you were there. Or maybe he just rubbed against your chest because his clothes were dirty?”

“You crazy bitch! You only grew that much because you ate well in the palace!”

“Oh, yes! Losers always add ‘what if’ statements, don’t they?”

[Sigh, please stop fighting, you two.]

The Dark Spiritmaster intervened as the two youngsters bickered. Suddenly, both their mouths fell open and they turned their heads away.

“The professor doesn’t look at breasts.”

“Big ones are all sentenced to death.”

The Dark Spiritmaster had unintentionally settled the commotion between the two. I sighed and said to Deia.

“Keep an eye on these two. Stop them from doing anything foolish.”

“What about you?”

Learic’s strange laughter echoed from inside the palace.

As I headed into the palace interior to find him, I answered calmly.

“I’m going to kill him.”