Ch.279279. Contact

“Well, it’s fine to talk enthusiastically about your youth business!”

Next to the Luminary, who was pressing his temples as if he had a headache, Seonhwa-ryun dropped those words.

“Right now, move your body first. Here it comes!”

As soon as those words ended, brown energy rushed in from all directions.

-!

“Dodge!”

“Anyone would know that without being told!”

“…”

I leap forward while pouting at the sarcastic remark thrown at the Luminary from beside me.

Thanks to the Desperate Situation that’s been applied as an EX for quite some time, dodging itself isn’t difficult.

Kicking off the ground and soaring high into the air in one bound isn’t so surprising anymore, but what’s strange is the condition of the Luminary who’s making exactly the same movements as me.

“…”

I look at him hovering in mid-air at exactly the same height as me.

It’s an impossible hovering distance.

As if he’s also affected by the Desperate Situation skill just like me.

“-What is it?”

I sigh first at the sight of the Luminary asking with a smirk.

“…Nothing.”

Seeing him using exactly the same abilities as me, I can’t help but know.

This guy is definitely deeply connected to me in some way.

And the process of tracing his identity wasn’t that difficult either.

-The world has already been repeated several times.

The hint starts with what the Prime Minister said.

This world I’m experiencing now is not the “first.”

The world has already been rewound to the past several times, and the trigger is probably…

“Let me ask you one thing.”

“Why do you keep asking questions in this situation-“

I stick my fingers into the ceiling and twist my entire body to change direction.

With such acrobatic movements, I avoid the brown energy flying back at me. Then, I continue speaking to the Luminary who’s launching himself in the opposite direction using the same method as me.

“I was supposed to die here originally, right?”

“…”

I smirk at the sight of the Luminary clamping his mouth shut without a word.

Yeah. I thought so.

It’s none other than the Brown Demon.

Tracing back to its origin would be quite complicated, but basically, how should I put it?

Probably always rolling its eyes wanting to kill me, and like now, when the Emperor…

[…Is there a reason?]

That question suddenly flew in from the Soul Linker.

‘…Excuse me?’

[Is there a reason why a demon would be so desperate to devour you and harbor such killing intent?]

‘…’

Sir.

Mind your expression.

‘…Actually, that’s a somewhat complicated issue to explain.’

I sigh deeply inside as I answer.

‘It hates popular guys.’

[…]

Calivan was silent for a long time.

The silence continued until the Luminary and I avoided the demonic energy several more times with dizzying movements.

[…What does it hate them for?]

‘It hates guys who are popular.’

[…]

Again, a long silence follows.

[…Why?]

At the question that finally dropped, I scratch my head with an embarrassed look.

‘Well, it’s possible to hate someone.’

[…A demon can hate someone for such a trivial reason? After all that talk about being the strongest being in the dimension-]

‘It’s just that one, just that one.’

The Brown Demon is one of the most important milestones in my current situation leading to the final chapter… that is, the “Otherworld.”

A hybrid, offspring of an angel and a demon. With one foot in each world.

But that…

In other words, it also means a birth origin perfect for being rejected by both sides.

It doesn’t belong to Pandemonium, nor does it belong to the Otherworld. It would be nice if it had the social skills to be welcomed by both sides, but unfortunately, its innate temperament isn’t like that either.

Introverted, sensitive, and neurotic. You know how it is.

So this guy had no choice but a long history of being a loner.

As a result, it turned into someone so gloomy that it would be hard to find a match not just among demons but in this entire world.

Love deprivation, defeatism, admiration, inferiority complex, jealousy.

If you squeeze and mix all the emotions pooled at the bottom, that’s probably what this guy would be.

In that sense, the current situation is actually very…

The demon is “sincerely” rushing to kill me. If I make a wrong move, I could really die.

In that sense, this guy’s help is essential for surviving here.

“Come to think of it, you.”

Glancing sideways at the Luminary, I voice the biggest evidence that led me to conclude that this guy “likes me.”

“You’re always there whenever I’m about to ‘really’ die. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

It was like that with the White Demon, during the Red Night, and now too.

Regarding ‘demons,’ whenever I faced a crisis where I might really die, this guy always showed up.

He threatened me in various ways, but it was as if he couldn’t bear to see me ‘really’ die.

“…Have you forgotten that I am your enemy-“

“You’re just pretending.”

“…”

“Rather than really trying to kill me, you’re more like injecting tension into my relaxed mind…”

“…”

Even as attacks possessed by the Brown Demon flew from all directions, the Luminary clutched his temple as if dizzy.

But still, there was no rebuttal till the end.

‘…See that.’

I’ve suspected for quite some time.

That this guy might be one of the people around me who has memories of that repeating world.

And the more frequently I encountered him, the more clearly I could see who he was.

People have intuition, you know.

Somehow, whether in speech or behavior, he resembles someone I know very closely.

“And if it’s that guy, he’d definitely be unable to resist doing lewd things with me.”

“…Think whatever you want.”

The Luminary, answering with a somewhat sulky voice, gripped the hilt of his sword.

“But for now, we need to deal with that-!”

With those words, the sword drawn with a terrifying aura shot toward the Emperor, who was still walking toward us with lifeless, puppet-like movements.

It could have inflicted quite an appropriate blow.

If only “someone” hadn’t intervened with a terrifying presence.

“-What do you think you’re doing?”

I inwardly click my tongue at the sight of the Sword Saint speaking through gritted teeth.

He must clearly know that the Emperor’s current state isn’t normal, but nonetheless, he can’t stand by and watch us harm him.

“Put down your weapons. The target you’re pointing them at is the pinnacle of this empire.”

“…That stubborn bastard, seriously.”

I nod in complete agreement with the Luminary who clicks his tongue beside me.

He’s always been an unmatched stickler. Regardless of the Emperor’s condition, he’s utterly devoted to his duty as a guard.

And unfortunately…

I don’t have the time, leisure, or will to persuade him right now.

Instead, I prefer a slightly more aggressive method.

“Now!”

As I shout, the personnel I had “hidden” spring out from all directions.

Various energies are released from all around, grabbing the Sword Saint’s limbs.

“What…!”

The Sword Saint’s eyes widened.

Elnore, Elia, Riru, Yuria, and Faynol.

These are the people I’ve been dropping off continuously even during the battle with the Predator. To “hold” this man even for a moment, all this manpower needs to be invested.

“Sorry, Sword Saint!”

Elia winked as she firmly held the Sword Saint’s arm with her holy sword.

“It’ll just be a moment, so please stay still until the teacher finishes his work!”

“…Hero…!”

“Even for someone like you, facing this many people is a bit-!”

But before that sentence could finish…

The Sword Saint, whose body was instantly bound by demonic energy flying from all directions, dropped a menacing voice.

“Darwood Campbell-! Get away from His Majesty immediately-!”

Simultaneously, the people clinging to his body surge in all directions.

“…Is this even possible?!”

It’s completely understandable why Elia screams like that.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

But Elnore counters the Sword Saint’s attempt to move again with a thunderous shout, pressing down on the waist part she’s holding.

Glimpses of gray energy flowing between his body suggest she’s utilizing demonic energy too, but she’s visibly struggling. Rare beads of cold sweat form on her forehead.

Riru and Yuria, who are clinging to his legs, scream as they fly around in all directions.

“You guys, taking, the best, positions! While I, waaaaaah-!”

“Ri, Ri, Riru! If you let go, I’ll also fly-! Kyaa, kyaaaah-!”

“…”

It’s chaos.

It’s an absurd sight that a Demonic Vessel with a dozen members plus the Hero can barely manage an equal power struggle, but it seems possible to hold him in place for now.

“I promise you, Sword Saint.”

And for now, that’s enough.

Unlike with the Predator, I have a way to resolve this directly. There’s no need to drag it out.

“I’ll save His Majesty.”

“Darwood Campbell–!!”

The Sword Saint tries to approach me while letting out a roar that could make one’s knees weak.

“…”

But before feeling fear, I organize my thoughts.

The goal is to subdue the Brown Demon and “completely” restore the Emperor’s mind.

“The solution is-“

“-You need to make contact, right?”

The Luminary interrupted me with a deep sigh.

“That’s been your most common solution for demon-related issues. The success rate was quite high too.”

“…”

I can’t help but smile at how well he seems to know me.

Indeed, he’s right.

Although the difficulty level is vastly different, the fundamental approach for the Brown Demon isn’t much different from the Red Demon case.

Face it, confront it directly, and subdue it.

“But.”

The Luminary cut in between my thoughts.

“You know you’ll die if you fail, right?”

“…That’s why I’m asking for your help.”

I say with a bitter smile.

If this guy is who I think he is, he’s definitely the one who can provide the greatest help in the current situation.

To my words, the Luminary replied with a smirk.

“…I’ll definitely get my reward.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Ah, forget about that condition you mentioned. What’s the point of taking it when it’s not even the ‘first’ time?”

“…”

What?

“In the first place.”

A sulky voice shot out from the Luminary’s lips.

“You’ve already done it with the Gray Demon.”

“…”

My mind reels at the Luminary’s bombshell statement delivered without any hesitation.

This guy has no filter in front of others…!

“…What?”

“…Did what?”

The chilling voice coming from the direction where they’re competing with the Sword Saint makes my spine even colder.

“You all focus on that side…!”

I mean, how can they have the leisure to be interested in this side while in the midst of battling the Sword Saint? What you’re facing is one of humanity’s strongest!

But,

“And, above all.”

The Luminary continued with a grin.

It was a tone that made it clear he was making such an expression under his mask.

“…I’ve already been quite modified by you. Every nook and cranny, all of it.”

“…”

“I could list everything you did to me in the future, one by one-“

“…Please be quiet…!”

Luminary.

What the actual fuck are you saying??

“…”

“…”

The terrifying pressure I feel from behind has doubled compared to before.

[…Shouldn’t you be more worried about what comes after subduing the Brown Demon rather than the demon itself?]

“…”

…Maybe that’s really the case?